We had a long discussion about this issue about a year ago on TF, I'll see if I can find it and forward off line.

Very important is what platform you're on, be it Mac (OS9/OSX) M$ W$ or Linux/BSD

And, oh yea. Of all the media he has, the vinyl records will probably last the longest if they're in proper storage state. My father was head of QC at Columbia Records for a number of years and I think what he got for me as far as storage is reasonable gospel.