Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 38, No. 325.
        Department of Digital Humanities, University of Cologne
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        Date: 2025-01-15 11:14:12+00:00
        From: David Berry <D.M.Berry@sussex.ac.uk>
        Subject: Digital Ruins and Critical Code Studies: Towards an Ethics of Historical Software Reconstruction

I thought this short article might be interesting to those working or thinking
about software preservation. I would very much like to hear from those working
in digital, book or art preservation who might use other analogies useful for
thinking about software.

Digital Ruins and Critical Code Studies: Towards an Ethics of Historical
Software Reconstruction

"The reconstruction of historical software presents unique challenges that lie
at the intersection of technical preservation, historical interpretation, and
ethical practice. This article argues that the field of critical code studies
needs to consider helping to develop new frameworks for software reconstruction
that balance functional recovery with historical accuracy – frameworks that, I
argue, can learn valuable lessons from architectural preservation practices.
While the restoration of buildings and the reconstruction of code may seem very
different, both grapple with fundamental questions about authenticity,
interpretation, and the ethical practices of reconstruction."

https://stunlaw.blogspot.com/2025/01/digital-ruins-and-critical-code-
studies.html

Best

David

________________________________
David M. Berry
Professor of Digital Humanities
School of Media, Arts and Humanities
University of Sussex
Silverstone 316
University of Sussex
Brighton BN1 8PP

T: +44(0)1273 87557
Internal Extension: 7557
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/profiles/125219


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