How to compete with us!

The Encyclopedia Foundation is a small Foundation. But apparently we are ahead of some others who share our dreams.

For instance, we once saw a site where someone wished to have a time vault style library. But the entirety of the site was little more than a request for a “benefactor” to contact him/her! (He or she may be doing more and just not saying so, this article takes the hypothetical case that some may not be.)

We don’t doubt his/her sincerity, but we have always felt that one should have more than a website before seeking donations. You see, if you are seeking some to donate for a building and some to donate the books and some to donate the routine costs of upkeep and such…then what exactly do you bring to the table? In other words, can’t all those people do it without you? Or just donate to the Long Now Foundation and be done with it? (The Long Now Foundation is always a good place to donate.)

For that reason, we at the Encyclopedia Foundation didn’t even bother with a website until we had a facility. And we didn’t bother having any mention of donations until we had spent over $25,000 fixing it up AND bought a second facility that we are currently fixing up. Not to mention that we have the incorporation, the business plan, and detailed plans as to how to do all this, not just dreams.

And, after all that, we aren’t even specifically seeking donations! We feel that such would do more good if given to the Long Now Foundation. We believe we can do without them, though obviously we would not turn such away.

But what of that no doubt sincere person with his/her website, and no doubt some good ideas, patiently waiting for that benefactor? We wish to help that hypothetical person who only has the idea. For it is at least a good idea. And after all, our business plan specifically says that we welcome competition, we want as much of it as possible!

Now, we have no extra funds laying about to sponsor anyone. And we doubt if that person or others wishes to simply join us, though any are welcome to. So we thought the question, “How can we make it easy for others to compete?”

One way is this site and this blog. We are trying to show all the things we are doing so that others can do the same thing. We have a “no secrets” policy, if we’ve thought of something, there’s no need for you to have waste time discovering it. Ask, we’ll tell you. Look, and it’s probably here already!

Another way is to make the idea cheaper. We don’t wish to go discount, but we can see where it could work well as a “back up” plan. A way exists to preserve data for thousands of years that is cheaper. It takes up more space, and it preserves less knowledge, but it is cheaper, and if enough others did it, then even if they didn’t have a great vault, it might, just might, end up being what lasts till the year 12,008.

Here it is:

(Note – we endorse none of the following companies, they were just what a quick google search took us to. Prices may vary depending on when you read this article. The Encyclopedia Foundation has absolutely no relationship with them whatsoever, we are not even past or present customers.)

1. You purchase an EGX-350 engraver from Bellco Computerized Engraving Systems. www.bellcoinc.com This will cost around $5,000. You will want it to have the diamond tip engraver, the ones it comes with won’t do. And relax, the difference in price on the tip between the standard versus industrial diamond is only about $10.

2. Purchase sheets of nickel from Online Metals. www.onlinemetals.com You can buy 12 inch by 12 inch sheets for under $10, however, the engraver machine can only accommodate 9 inch by 12 inch sheets so it may be even less per sheet. You need to know how many sheets of metal you need.

If you are intending to preserve the 11th edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica (the 13th edition minus the three supplements) then you should know that it has 29 volumes to it, each about 1,000 pages. Clearly, even if you got the sheets at $5 per, this may prove beyond your means. ($145,000)

3. If it is, find one book that you feel is worth saving. Perhaps the two volume “The Intelligent Man’s Guide to Science” by the late Dr. Isaac Asimov. At a bit under 1,000 pages that may be more affordable. ($10,000 if assuming $10 per sheet) (This is an example only, there may be copyright concerns if you were to choose that.)

4. Having made a metal plate copy of whatever book or book set you chose, have custom built frames made. They should be designed to hold the metal plates so that they do not touch each other, and so that they fit exactly into a giant safe you buy. I am not going to look up specific prices on those, the safe could cost around $1,000 to $2,000 and the frames depending on how bad a local craftsman needs the work. When in there, weld shut the safe.

Now at this point, you are thinking that we at the Encyclopedia Foundation are just being mean, and mocking those who wish to try. We aren’t. Far from it.
The three things to remember are this:

One, if you truly can’t afford it, then help those who are embarked on your mission. Donate to the Long Now Foundation, or to us, or to anyone you see who is actually about the actual preservation of the knowledge. Not to a “website” or a person with a dream, but to some viable organization actually getting it done.

Two, who said you can’t afford that? Seriously? You have a dream of preserving knowledge for a thousand years, ten thousand years, a million years…given that, you can’t invest ten years of your life into that dream? The five thousand dollar machine, the ten thousand dollars for the plates, the five thousand dollars for safe and frame and miscellaneous, that adds up to $20,000. We know people who blow more than that on a car that will never do more than take them two miles each way to work and last them less than 5 years.

$20,000 is $2,000 a year for ten years. Or $166.66 a month. We know people – like ourselves – who spend twice that on smokes each month!

Point is, if you are serious, then in ten years you could look at a book engraved on metal plates that will last ten thousand years! And you made it yourself!

Three, think outside the box! Want to save more money? Then why by the EGX-350 when others already have it? Call them up and hire them to do it. Might not be cheap, but may be less than the five grand for a machine that you may only be able to afford to use once! $1,000? Maybe! Go ask!

Want to save more money? Why spend $5000 give or take on a vault or frames when others are already in the book storing business? On the first plate of the book, have this message added: “This book made possible by John Doe and donated to the Long Now Foundation for safe keeping, that the future may benefit from our long term thinking.” Then ship it to them.

(If you take that route, you may wish to consult with them as to which book they’d like. And you could donate it to us, if you prefer. There might be a spot on our board, depending on if we like the book! Ask us first, if you choose that route!)
In any case, we hope that you take away from this that preserving knowledge can be expensive, but can be done. Anyone can do it. You do NOT need a benefactor. Just determination, and not much determination at that.

And you don’t have to go it alone. Others share your dream. Efforts can be pooled. Ideas swapped. Suggestions and tips offered. If it is your dream, then make it real. Let there be something real and solid that you can say that you did. Something that will last forever.