New Year’s Resolution: Print More Stuff?

A couple of articles have caught my eye this week: If you have lofty ambitions for your legacy, head for the attic and Cyberspace once you’re dead.

Some quotes from the articles:

“Did we ever give a thought to how much of this will endure beyond our lifetimes?” Probably not. What that means is that we are – carelessly or unwittingly – consigning the records of our lives to the digital shredder…. chances are that when historians come to write the history of our times, they will find a yawning gap in the record.

“Increasingly we’re not leaving a record of life by culling and stowing away physical journals or shoeboxes of letters and photographs for heirs or the future. Instead, we are, collectively, busy producing fresh masses of life-affirming digital stuff… We pile up digital possessions and expressions, and we tend to leave them piled up, like virtual hoarders… what do they add up to when we’re gone? The legacy of a life you hope your survivors will remember? Or a jumble of “digital litter” for them to sort through?”

Keep your Facebook updates forever in a printed diary

PRESS RELEASE January 1, 2011

Ever wished you could keep all your Facebook status updates as a real diary? Now you can. Launched on January 1, 2011, Like This Book is a real book version of your Facebook wall.

Founder Rachel Cunliffe came up with the idea after the birth of her first child two years ago.

“I used to keep a diary but now I write a status update.

“Even if I have fool-proof back-ups of my status updates on my computer or online, that doesn’t leave me a user-friendly way to reminisce over my life or leave something for my kids to flip through one day. Life on the internet is geared for right now and often not for the distant future.”

Rachel knew she wasn’t the only person feeling this way and started working on a semi-automated service which creates a physical diary rich with photos, comments and memories.

And that service is quick and easy to use. All you need to do is use Facebook’s download button, securely send your files and then preview and purchase your book.

Like This Book launched January 1, 2011 at http://www.likethisbook.com/ and http://www.facebook.com/likethisbook

Books are priced from $14.95US, tax and shipping additional.

Rachel Cunliffe is a blog and community site designer at http://www.cre8d-design.com/