Using archive sites to make sure your links don't disappear - BEWARE!!

Question

Many of us on WT use archive sites on the Internet such as the Wayback Machine to preserve links in our profiles. The archive sites exist to ensure that even if a link dies, it will still live on forever at the archive site. I typically use the Wayback Machine for this purpose and it has been great. But for some reason, I started using a site called "archive.is" instead. Today I checked on some of my profiles and I got an error message. My archived links were gone and so was the site! I did some research and it looks like the site may never come back. So my advice is to stick with trusted archive sites like Wayback. I got burned and I now have a lot of work to do.

Answer 1

Good advice Bart!

I would also recommend that instead of only saving a citation, copy the text of the entire source page so that in the future if the site goes down, you can refer back to it.  The easiest way to do this is to print the page to .pdf or .html (webpage complete).

I'm still referring to my hard drive for pages I saved in the 90's that are long since gone.

Comments

Yep. My stuff is in my Doc files

Also, you can download a free LEGACY that lets you copy/paste images, photos, book pages etc right into your Legacy tree at each person's entry. I luv my Legacy

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Thanks, I'll check out Legacy.

Answer 2

Good suggestion. Not just use well known and supported archive sites as you suggest but I would add that this type of problem shows the value of having good citations along with those links so that it is possible to find sources again. Too many people just depend on the link.

Comments

I tend to stick the transcript into the Biography on the profile or at least the salient points thereof and source link below ... if time and tide manages to blow away WT ... truly all will be lost

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When I use a source such as will or intestate probate records, etc.  I try to always include where the original record can be found giving the address of the county courthouse and the office where the record is located, such Probate court, etc., and if the record has been transferred to an archive the location of the archive.  I also include the on-line site where microfilm of the record can be viewed.  This way if the microfilm record is ever pulled from the on-line site, or the on-line site ceases to exist, a person can then travel, and/or contact the site where the original record is located to either view the record or obtain copies.

Answer 3

To simplify the process, I recommend using one of the official browser extensions for the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine.

• Chrome extension
• Firefox extension
• Safari extension
• Opera extension (not sure if it's still functioning)

It's worth noting that even if using the Internet Archive (a well-respected non-profit dedicated to preserving human knowledge online), pages stored might be taken down at some point. So it's best to follow SJ's advice in parallel: save a copy to your local hard drive.