CD and DVD R vs. RW

Of course I understand that opinions are a dime a dozen. It is just that I do not want a relatively new user to CD and DVD burners to place their faith and their data into the promises of some manufacturer that sell these burners. Please keep in mind that CD/DVD burner manufacturers enter into contracts with a software vender that lets them provide their software as part of the hardware or new PC package.

My Opinion! NEVER trust important long term storage of data to a CD R/W or DVD R/W. For the older generation there was 8-track and cassette, then there was Beta and VHS, Now there is CDs and DVDs. A few years back a very thoughtful and forward reaching individual came up with the concept of "Universal Data Format" or UDF for short for CD R/W.

This guy envisioned being able to use CD R/Ws just as simply as using floppy disks (again for some that is something only old timers even know about today). Of course the industry praised him and then just continued to make their products just at least a tiny bit different then the next guy. Some even offer to install their own UDF reader to the front of a CD R/W burned with their software. Note that they did not offer to make the CD created by their software "Updateble" by someone else's package.

The next battle over format is already in the works. The Major players refuse to agree on the newest format of DVD movies and you and I will need to spend considerable money in the short term to be able to watch either format.

For data storage the reality today is that if data is burned to a CD  R or DVD R without MULTI-session it will stand a much greater chance of being read on just about any PC CD or DVD reader on the market.

Of course it the data is going to be written and read on the same PC then things should be ok, But wait. What if your PC crashes and you need to get a new one or simply want to upgrade the one you current use.

CD Rs and DVD Rs are relatively cheap when it comes to the value of the data you care to store on them. I can not bring myself to use R/W!

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Thanks

Doug Clarke