[TriLUG] Availability of bzip2 in 20 years?

[Steve Litt]

Hi all,

I'm considering backing up to bzip2 instead of gzip (.tgz) to pack more on a 
single DVD. I'm getting close to 2 full DVDs, and I'd hate for my backups to 
span 3.

So in other words, 

tar cjvf mybup.tar.bz2 mydir

instead of 

tar czvf mybup.tgz mydir

My question is this: 20 years from now, will it be trivially easy to find 
software to decode bzip2. I'm sure it will be trivially easy to decode 
gzipped tars -- that's been a standard for years and years. Is bzip2 here to 
stay, or will it be dropped as years go by?

I'm serious about this. I often look at computer programs I wrote in 1984. I 
still regularly use Micrografx Windows Draw drawings I made in 1992 (this 
remains my one major reason for keeping a Windows machine around). Will 
tar.bz2 be decodable in 20 years?

Thanks

SteveT

Steve Litt
Author: 
   * Universal Troubleshooting Process courseware
   * Troubleshooting Techniques of the Successful Technologist
   * Manager's Guide to Technical Troubleshooting
   * Twenty Eight Tales of Troubleshooting
   * Rapid Learning: Secret Weapon of the Successful Technologist

http://www.troubleshooters.com/bookstore
http://www.troubleshooters.com/utp/tcourses.htm