Well that's true I suppose Frank but again, you're subject to someone else deciding whether or not and for what period, you can hang on to the content. Even an archive can suddenly not be available. Others have pointed out that the hard copy recording eg LP or CD, might contain info not available on-line! The Internet is certainly a great research resource in itself but every silver lining has a CLOUD [pun intended]. Wait till your ATM is disabled because you have the wrong view and there's no cash any more
I think I would have got on with your mother Nick. I'm sometimes, falsely, mistaken for a conspiracist but it's just a simple reality. Mobile phones were, originally, never expected to be the all "consuming" emotional support, income generating devices that they are at present. Another recent thread, about the early servicing industry, refers to people being suicidal when the TV wasn't working!
Substitute the mobile, often the new TV viewing [and everything else] device!
Dave W