Oh how naïve . . .

"The petition author, John Imrie, wrote: Government documents must be available for tens if not hundreds of years."

Computers as we know them won't be around HUNDREDS of years from now. Maybe a somewhat working example somewhere, but now you would need the software.

No. What I find frustrating with this disposable digital IP world is that I doubt the photo CDs or DVDs I make will be playable 20 years from now, never mind hundreds(!) yet the images in my parents 60 year old photo album still look crisp and well defined PLUS we can look at them anytime -- no special equipment required. So far the digital world hasn't been able to live up to ensured longevity.