MICROFILM: HERE TODAY, HERE TOMORROW In this age of computerized data and digital decay, ''From digits to dust'' (Science & Technology, Apr. 20) builds a compelling case for the only storage medium besides paper that has withstood the test of time for more than 100 years--microfilm. Unlike many digital files, original documents stored on microfilm several decades ago are readable and will continue to remain so in the foreseeable future. Why? Because, like paper, microfilm can be read by the eye and is not hardware- or software-dependent. In addition, microfilm can survive water and moisture that would ruin paper records, as well as exposure to heat, magnetic fields, and ''digital decay'' that can render digitally stored data unreadable. As digital storage modalities proliferate, we see microfilm remaining an important long-term storage media that will enable present and future generations to view original documents and have access to important historical data. Kenneth Kopald Fuji Photo Film USA Elmsford, N.Y. John Luke Eastman Kodak Co. Rochester, N.Y. Tad Yokota Minolta Corp. Ramsey, N.J.

Updated May 7, 1998 by bwwebmaster
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