As our lives become more digitized, a number of eminent computer scientists are starting to warn that our most treasured family photos, heartfelt correspondence, and legal documents might be irretrievably lost if we do not print them on acid-free paper and safely store them in a cool, dark, and dry place. After all, the original Declaration of Independence, written on parchment, is still on display in Washington, DC, but digital documents from even 1990-vintage personal computers can be difficult to read, because few people have five-and-a-half-inch floppy-disk drives anymore.

I think those computer scientists have got it wrong. The problem with paper documents is that they are forever vulnerable to destruction -- from fire or flood, for example -- because they exist in one place. I prefer electronic documents, which can be easily copied and "backed up" to different locations -- different hard drives, different buildings, and even different states. And though it does require dedication to manage your life this way, today's technology makes it easier than ever.