I like the thought of "Destroy v Purge" as opposed to "Binge v Purge" =)

Here's an opinion- likely that's the best you're going to get from anyone
because there isn't any definitive answers to this... it'll have to be an
internal "procedure to accompany policy" dealio.

I'm assuming these are definitions/descriptions your organization has come
up with or your application vendor has provided you. 

> "Destroy" (the electronic files within the record are destroyed, but the
metadata is kept) 

metadata is created to describe/support the record- it has no 'life' on it's
own and I can't imagine why anyone would want to retain it after the record
is destroyed/deleted/purged/obliterated It would be like saving envelopes
after you open and discard mail.


> "Purge" (the electronic files and all metadata is destroyed).

Nowwaitaminute... YOU SAID destroy means the metadata is kept, but here you
say purge means the metadata is destroyed... are you trying to give me a
headache?? =)

The biggest problem with eliminating/obliterating digital forms of records
(with or without their metadata) is depending on how they are saved/stored,
in most cases all you REALLY DO is delete the pointers to the record/entry
on the storage media.  If they're burned to a platter, they stay there, if
they are backed up to a tape, they stay there, if they're on a hard drive on
a server, eventually they're overwritten, but for a long time, they stay
there... but by removing the pointer, you make it more difficult to find
it... NOT IMPOSSIBLE, just more difficult.

When I read your description of "destroy" I think of this example in the
physical record paradigm. You have a folder in a box that has met its
retention.  You send a destruction approval request to the owner. They
approve it. You pull the folder and destroy it, but you retain a copy of the
destruction notice describing what was destroyed (metadata, sort of).

When I read "purge", it's just like above... except you also destroy the
approved destruction notice.

Larry
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(does that help or further confuse it?)

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