Document digitisation and the end of the world as you know it

In the Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Douglas Adams described a place at the end of time where you could sip champagne while watching the Big Bang happening in reverse. A pretty good evening’s entertainment, but not quite as explosive (or should that be implosive?) as the moment that is taking place before our eyes right now.

The digital revolution is causing both excitement and concern, innovation and re-entrenchment. Thanks to document digitisation, vast archives can be searched in seconds, shared without leaving your laptop and documents need never leave a physical trace. It’s quite the spectacle. While our waiter brings you your choice of fine wine and this evening’s band strikes up a tune, let us pull back the curtain and entreat you to enjoy the end of the world as you know it.

Everything becomes data

Document digitisation allows all your archives to sit in the palm of your hand. You may choose to keep your original hard copies, or you can wave sayonara to them once they have become data. You’re going to have so much space in your empty offices, you’ll finally have room to swing that cat that’s been getting on your nerves. One day you’ll be able to upload the feline as well. 

A click away

Have you ever unfolded an A0 technical drawing on your desk? There isn’t much desk left. Storing the thing throws up even more complications. But now they and everything from everyday reports and invoices through to ancient archives and military blueprints can be accessed on a laptop, tablet or even a phone. This isn’t a security issue either, since they can be encrypted beyond the sight of prying eyes. We can scan anything for you and although we haven’t yet scanned the kitchen sink, you might be able to get running water from your phone someday soon. 

No out-of-date analogue

Analogue is gripping the cliff edge by its fingertips in the form of DVDs, CDs and Blu-Ray. But much material has already fallen into the ravine and been trampled by a stampede of wildebeest. The good news is that we can silence Scar’s laughter and bring back Mufasa – taking VHS, cassettes, Betamax, reel-to-reel, cine, video and floppy disks, then releasing this captured material into the wild again with digital technology. 

What you could once only listen to in an 80s car stereo, you can now enjoy pretty much anywhere. Digital transfers made like this don’t get damaged, lose quality or fade. You can share them across the web or play them on a handheld device. The other good news is that we can convert your analogue materials into any digital form you like. Maybe document digitisation and the end of the world as you know it is also the preservation of the world as you once knew it.

Whatever you need

Nothing needs to be static anymore. Digital formats mean anything goes and we can also easily convert your data from digital to microfilm or microfiche, from microforms to paper and from paper straight back to digital. You are no longer limited to one format and you can get professionals like us to destroy the disused formats when you’re done. We haven’t turned lead into gold yet but our data conversion services are getting close.

Okay, okay, so perhaps this isn’t quite a disaster movie! The end of the world as you know it is actually more of an exciting opportunity rather than a sense of impending doom. All things considered, it’s probably a good thing. If you’d like to make use of one of these digital opportunities, get in touch and we’ll build something truly future-proof together.

Microfiche destruction: killing tiny fish, and other things it’s not

Microfiche - a small fish?Okay we admit it, we really like destroying things. Obliterating them from the face of the planet. Documents, data, DVDs, hard drives, microfilm, microfiche. There’s never been a moment we haven’t enjoyed annihilating what’s been handed to us. But before you get the wrong end of the proverbial stick, we should clarify exactly what we mean – and, for the purpose of this blog, what we don’t mean – when we say microfiche destruction.

Not: Destroying tiny fish

Even if we wanted to go on a sea critter killing spree on behalf of a client, we’d struggle to catch them, if we could find them at all. The world’s smallest fish, the paedocypris progenetica can be hard to see, even if it’s in the palm of your hand. Not really one to oven bake in tin foil and serve with a lemon. Unless you are a miniature ‘Who’ person from Dr Seuess’s Whoville, in which case you’d be in for a feast.

Not: Getting even with Michael Fish

If you remember Britain in 1987, you might still hold a vendetta against the naysaying weather forecaster, but we won’t assassinate him for you. Revenge won’t give you peace. Fun fact: the weather forecaster has on several occasions opened aquariums as a celebrity-with-the-scissors. In Hunstanton he was heard to say, “This is my o-fishal opening of this shrimply gorgeous plaice.” While he should probably be prevented from making puns again, destroy him we shall not. If you are concerned by our apparent need to explain away the idea that we are trained killers, you shouldn’t worry, we don’t get assassins in this country. 

Not: Destroying an outdated archive method

Mirco-what-now? If you’re on the younger side of the spectrum you may be tempted to think that microfiche is a dead method of archiving documents. But you’d be missing out. 

So what is microfiche and microfiche destruction?

Microfiche is a tiny sheet of flat film that is covered in a matrix of micro images. For storing hard copy versions of valuable magazines or important documents, there is no more efficient method. We can convert your documents to microfiche, indexing them and creating an archiving solution. So why might you want to do that instead?

While there is a benefit in switching to digital (we do have our head in the Cloud too, and can convert your documents to digital if you prefer), there is sometimes a greater benefit in sticking with microfiche. For a start, most digital forms of storage have existed for little more than a decade – and might not last forever. Whereas, microfiche is guaranteed to last for five-hundred years. Unless of course, you give it to us to destroy, in which case we’ll incinerate it gladly. If you are looking for microfiche destruction services, get in contact and we’ll give you a free quote.