I organize my digital photos by date and time. I rename them using the embedded timestamp. There are various tools that can quickly rename all your photos with a timestamp as prefix. ExifTool, for example.
Once the photos are renamed with a timestamp prefixed, it is very easy to group and organize them. One folder per year. Subfolders per month or for special events. Add name of the event, persons and places to the filenames or subfolders.
I think it is better than most other flash. In other words, no. It is not good for cold storage. But it is a very good flash memory for normal use. I have never lost any data stored on one.
There is nothing that is good for long term cold storage.
You need multiple copies on different types of media. Check/repair it regularly and migrate to new media every now and then. Every 3-5 years.
I suspect that you have already lost it.
Do an experiment. Go out in some "natural" environment. Using ONLY the natural stuff you find there, no tools and nothing you brought with you, make a fire. Keep it burning for at least an hour. No metal. No string.
The ability to make and control fire is a very important part of what it means to be human.
Are you human?
SD cards are ephemeral. All SD cards. SanDisk SD cards are popular, so that may bias your perception.
There are some SD cards that are better than others. The best cost much more and are often slower. They usually have the word "Endurance" in the model name. Like "Max Endurance" or "Pro Endurance".
There is a very strong correlation between low price and poor endurance. And a slightly weaker correlation between high price and good endurance.
Saving stuff to a SD card is what especially cause it to wear out. Reading stuff is not quite as bad. Heat makes a SD card fail extra fast.
It is good practice to offload photos to a PC, or the cloud, as soon as possible.
It is related to retardation force when dropped. That in turn is related to the height at which the drive is dropped and the elasticity/softness/hardness of the surface.
For example, if you drop the drive from 1 meter of height, less than 350G means the floor material must be soft/elastic enough to stop the fall after about 2.8 mm, or more. In other words, a thick carpet, rubber, foam or elastic plastic. Drop the drive on a hard stone/ceramic non-elastic surface and the retardation force, when it hit, will be way higher than 350G. And the drive is likely to break. A soft wood floor that get a 3 mm dent might perhaps be OK.
Seems to me that must have been a great drive. Lasted 10 years, despite the warranty being only three years. I would be happy if all my drives lasted that long.
Thanks for letting us know about your great experience with this drive.
10 years! Amazing!
No. I don't think you should use USB Flash at all, except as part of daily use. For long term storage, up to a year, use a proper SSDs and/or HDDs. And check and migrate.