Boing-Boing posted an article today that describes how “piracy” of computer software and video games from the 80s is vital for historic preservation. Without a “crack-scene” much of this content would be forever lost.

While reading the article, I couldn’t help but think how these “rogue” groups of hackers and crackers parallel our efforts to save and document our rich music history. Luckily for us, a lot of people have come forward with their personal collections. Every year that goes by, there’s another basement flood, rummage sale, spring cleaning or continued degradation of that old magnetic tape. If we weren’t doing this, who would be? This weekend, go into your closet, basement, or wherever you have your old punk tapes stashed… and dig out some gems, because YOU MAY OWN THE ONLY REMAINING PHYSICAL COPY OF IT IN THE WORLD. Do your part in preserving our rich musical heritage. Don’t forget to read the submission rules.

Read the full article on BoingBoing.