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It depends what's long term for you. If long term is 10-20 years then cold disk storage is probably acceptable provided you have some redundancy. However if for whatever reason you are aiming at 50, 100, or 100+ year storage, this is probably the safer approach (however like another comment mentioned, a decoding algorithm should probably be provided with the documents).

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but doesn’t the printed text fade away before then?

Not with the right choice of paper and storage. In the bottom of the README I included a fairly detailed description of the basic precautions you can take to make the pages last as long as possible as well as links to several conservation groups and their recommendations.

The short version is you should use archival grade acid-free paper (acid breaks down ink and the page over time) and prefer encapsulation (storing inside an intert sleeve with the end taped or threaded closed) over hot lamination (the vinyl acetate in the laminate accelerates degredation).

We have managed to keep documents much older than 100 years in usable condition under far less ideal circumstances.

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