ASL STEM

Definition

information or data in some fixed media. Hardcopy generally refers to a medium that is difficult to modify, and usually in human-readable form, such as printed on paper. Hardcopy may be the preferred form of backup in cases where the data may need to outlast the lifetime of certain forms of storage technology. Hardcopy is also usually preferred in many situations for evidentiary purposes, especially in regard to presentation in courts of law.

Source: Slade, Rob. Dictionary of Information Security. Rockland, MA, USA: Syngress Publishing, 2006. p 117.