Even if a computer was new out of the box in 2012, it would be thirty-eight-years-old in 2050. Even in a best case scenario, disk drives stop functioning. Flash drives have an even shorter life span (unless technology has improved) than mechanical hard drives.
My 27 year old Oric computer still works OK. There are some who still like to tinker.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEv6MmYKYF8Even with todays technology solid state machines i.e solid state hard drives are available which will retain there memory for upto 100+ years just like the twin 8K EPROMs in my Oric have not gone senile with old age.
Even magnetic platter drives are pretty robust its usually just the mechanical parts such as the drive and read/write head actuators that fail. An OS optical disk can easily be transferred to an SD card.
As for the idea that everything turns to dust, such as carbon steel over a period of just 40 years then how on earth there are working machines such as this singer sewing machine
Even the example I have available works perfectly OK, even the leather treadle belt is still original after 110 years occasional use. But I guess they made things to last back then.
I think some folks have fallen it the consumerist mindset that modern consumer products rapidly fail or wear out, the reality that they are most likely replaced due to fashion is nearer the mark.
I think I still have some 25 year old bicycle Vittoria and Conti tubulars in the loft somewhere, I will have go and check to see if they haven't rotted away to nothing. I suspect that they have not.
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