CompuServe Messages

Michael: These subjects are covered generally in the CDFAQ file you mentioned. These are not publishing media (in the sense that they willbe used for general distribution of data) because 1) MO is read/write, and publishers really like the read-only format, and 2) lack of standards. For in-house use in data processing applications, they're fine if you find the system that fits your needs. >>HOW CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION ON OPTICAL DISCS (MO) ?<< MO uses a laser system to change polarity of a heat-sensitive material to "write" 1's and 0's. They tend to be less data intensive than CDROM but are relatviely stable and thus better suited to portability and archiving. >>WHAT IS A WORM DRIVE ?<< WORM mean "write-once-read-many" and generally refer to a class of technology that is quite different than CDROM. Make no mistake, there is _nothing_ in the traditional WORM system that is compatible with CDROM. CD-Recordable and WORM are quite different in virtually every way. And due to a lack of standards, the only way to guarantee that the disc you create will be readable elsewhere is to buy precisely the same hardware in all user locations (and that hardware tends to be far more expensive that CD). There are appropriate applications for all three technologies – MO, WORM & CD-R. CD-R is encroaching on the smaller 5-1/4" format WORM due to its standards and costs. Hope this helps. Best – Rich Bowers