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Currently Stack Exchange only hosts the most recent dump on archive.org (Where are the Stack Exchange data dumps?).

The previous dumps are only available through torrents: All Stack Exchange data dumps (and nobody is seeding them: I unsuccessfully tried to download the dumps for 2016 December, 2017 March, and 2017 June).

How about hosting all Stack Exchange data dumps on archive.org?

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  • Except for when they refactor the database, I'm pretty sure that each is a superset of the previous.
    – wizzwizz4
    Commented Jan 28, 2018 at 11:50
  • 2
    @wizzwizz4 many questions and comments get deleted over time. Commented Jan 28, 2018 at 17:43
  • Don't they remain in the SQL data dump?
    – wizzwizz4
    Commented Jan 28, 2018 at 18:00
  • 2
    @wizzwizz4 regrettably, no Commented Jan 28, 2018 at 18:00
  • Well, you could just copy the dump to a separate item on archive.org once it gets out.
    – Nemo
    Commented May 18, 2018 at 13:17
  • 1
    @Nemo that's why I did after asking this question, but I also would like to have access to past dumps. Commented May 18, 2018 at 16:22

1 Answer 1

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I encourage users to upload any old releases they have to the Internet Archive for safe keeping.

For example, I have uploaded the first release to the Internet Archive here. If possible, include the associated torrent file, and include the files as released so they remain torrent-compatible. For example, see my upload. Be sure to set the original release date and license information (Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike).

Once uploaded, we can edit them in to the list of past releases so they can be found.

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