Path: cdrom.com!barrnet.net!decwrl!pa.dec.com!decuac.dec.com!haven.umd.edu!news.umbc.edu!eff!news.kei.com!MathWorks.Com!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!math.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!slip1-24.acs.ohio-state.edu!user From: rjenning@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Robert Jennings) Newsgroups: comp.publish.cdrom.multimedia Subject: Re: CD Long-Term Durability? Followup-To: comp.publish.cdrom.multimedia Date: 10 Mar 1994 18:49:35 GMT Organization: The Ohio State University Lines: 29 Message-ID: References: NNTP-Posting-Host: slip1-24.acs.ohio-state.edu In article , bmuscle@rci.ripco.com (Buzzmuscle) wrote: > Does anyone have any info on the theoretical length of time a CD-ROM can be > depended upon to retain error-free data? I'm interested in its viability as > a long-term archiving medium. And when I say long-term, I mean LONG-term. > Any info or pointers to any studies greatly appreciated. I remember reading an article in a monthly computer magazine (MacWorld, PC Magazine, BYTE, I can't remember which) about the production of CD-ROMs. In the article they quoted some industry sources as saying that CDs are NOT viable for long-term storage. They were talking about mass-produced CDs. I think that they were giving them an average life span of approx. 10 years. If kept under ideal conditions, they should keep longer (but can you guarantee ideal conditions for 10 years or more?) Sorry I can't remember or find the actual article. Try a search in Reader's Guide to Periodicals under CD-ROM over the last five years. You should find the article that I am talking about (as well as hundreds of others that are not appropriate for your needs!) Good luck. ****Bob**** -- Robert Jennings.......................rjenning@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu Dept. of Industrial Design, The Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio (614) 292-5235