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A No-Compromises Architecture for Digital Document Preservation

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Research and Advanced Technology for Digital Libraries (ECDL 2005)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 3652))

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Abstract

The Multivalent Document Model offers a practical, proven, no-compromises architecture for preserving digital documents of potentially any data format. We have implemented from scratch such complex and currently important formats as PDF and HTML, as well as older formats including scanned paper, UNIX manual pages, TeX DVI, and Apple II AppleWorks word processing. The architecture, stable since its definition in 1997, extends easily to additional document formats, defines a cross-format document tree data structure that fully captures semantics and layout, supports full expression of a format’s often idiosyncratic concepts and behavior, enables sharing of functionality across formats thus reducing implementation effort, can introduce new functionality such as hyperlinks and annotation to older formats that cannot express them, and provides a single interface (API) across all formats. Multivalent contrasts sharply with emulation and conversion, and advances Lorie’s Universal Virtual Computer with high-level architecture and extensive implementation.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Liverpool, Liverpool, Great Britain

    Thomas A. Phelps & P. B. Watry

Authors
  1. Thomas A. Phelps
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  2. P. B. Watry
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria

    Andreas Rauber

  2. Laboratory of Distributed Multimedia Information Systems and Applications, Technical University of Crete (MUSIC/TUC) Chania, 73100, Crete, Greece

    Stavros Christodoulakis

  3. Institute of Software Technology and Interactive Systems, Vienna University of Technology, Favoritenstr. 9-11/188, A-1040, Wien, Austria

    A Min Tjoa

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© 2005 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Phelps, T.A., Watry, P.B. (2005). A No-Compromises Architecture for Digital Document Preservation. In: Rauber, A., Christodoulakis, S., Tjoa, A.M. (eds) Research and Advanced Technology for Digital Libraries. ECDL 2005. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 3652. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/11551362_24

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/11551362_24

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-28767-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-31931-3

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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