[Cryptography] Secret sharing for family members (John Levine)

[Bob Wilson]

> No, acid-free paper is a standard term for paper that does not
> deteriorate as it ages. If you've picked up an old newspaper and had
> it crumble, that's due to cheap paper that wasn't treated to remove
> the lignin in wood pulp and make it acid-free. Really old newspapers,
> from before they started to use wood pulp paper, don't do that.
>
> You also want to use a pigment that won't fade but the toner in most
> laser printers is pretty stable.  Some laser printers have an archival
> option that slows the printer and increases the fuser temperatre so
> the toner bonds better to the paper.
I do rely on my laser printers (in my case actually LED printers, but 
that doesn't change the image formation) for longevity. But there are 
also ink squirters made for photography that specify the longevity of 
their prints. Of course those are advertising claims to some extent and 
need to be read cautiously, but there are agreed on testing procedures. 
I have used an HP 8750, now use a Canon PIXMA Pro9000 Mark II. Epson 
makes some excellent photo printers also, beloved by some professional 
photographers, but they have had a reputation for print heads plugging 
up unless used constantly. The ones I have used claim longevity measured 
in centuries, if the prints are made on proper (i.e. manufacturer 
approved) paper using proper ink and stored properly. I don't know how 
that compares to laser prints.
Bob Wilson