" Brewster Kahle wants the world to know that old software is an important part of our cultural history and -- like books, films and other media -- should be preserved.
The problem is, most software is stored on media that is rapidly degrading. Before long, the data on those original WordStar or Lotus 1-2-3 floppies will be about as useful as a piece of cardboard.

One of the titles the Internet Archive would like to save for posterity is an original copy of Sim City.If the Copyright Office turns down the Internet Archive's request, old titles like WordStar may disappear from the historical record.Internet Archive founder Brewster Kahle is hoping to archive thousands of old software titles so that future generations can experience them.

That's why Kahle and his nonprofit Internet Archive have petitioned the U.S. Copyright Office about the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, or DMCA, which governs the circumvention of anti-piracy measures. Kahle's organization is seeking exemptions from DMCA provisions that prohibit the archiving of software titles. If the Copyright Office says no, Kahle fears millions of programs eventually will be lost forever.
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Fighting to Preserve Old Programs