1 link tagged with all of: portability + file formats + data longevity
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Plain text persists as one of computing's most durable technologies because its simplicity—no proprietary formats, no required applications, no dependencies—makes it readable across decades and systems. The article argues that while richer tools have their place, plain text's boring reliability and portability solve real problems that fancier solutions often create.
- Plain text works everywhere without dependencies: a text file created on Linux opens on Windows, runs in terminals, works with command-line tools, and doesn't require the original application to remain in business or supported.
- Text-based formats (source code, config files, HTML, JSON, Markdown) dominate computing infrastructure because their contents stay inspectable and debuggable without proprietary software, making troubleshooting and version control straightforward.
- Plain text resists obsolescence better than proprietary formats—old text files remain readable even if encoding needs fixes, whereas recovering data from abandoned file formats often requires emulators, conversion chains, or lost software.
- Ownership and control stay with the user: text files can live in any directory, sync however you want, go under version control, or move to different machines without vendor lock-in or subscription dependencies.