More on-topic, though, might be the reasons or value in saving the details of one’s own life. The reasons might range from simple sentimental value to memory aids in older years or to documente the history of one’s life. Though I’d need to ask: to who’s benefit is that last case for? Perhaps my descendants. Maybe to society as a whole (at the discretion of family or a will). I’ve not answered that question of for myself yet.

Interestingly I don’t think the internet age has yet had its generational demise yet, to put it grimly. I will be curious how, in the future, people’s various online representations – blogs, old newsgroup postings, mailing list posts – and even private communications like email boxes, computer files, digital photographs, as well as other data is persisted once a person is no longer living. In the physical world a persons possessions (including those documents and artifacts of life) are probably given to close family and large assets sold off. How do digital things get handed off?

Privacy in this arena is obviously paramount. One specific question I’ve had is: if I were to get hit by a bus on my way home today would my family and close friends even be able to get to my life’s digital data? I take some steps to try and protect those assets from the “big bad internet,” but is this self-defeating for those related to me or interested in my life that I’d want to have access?

I think I have a new document to write for the safe-deposit-box: instructions and keys to my digital life.