CD-RW : Computer Hardware Buyers’ Glossary

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CD-RW

CD-RW (Compact Disc Re-Writeable). CD-ROM (Compact Disc — Read Only Memory) drive that lets you create your own CD (Compact Disk) s, or copy existing ones, computer or audio. The blanks can be erased and cost about $2.10 CAD each. Last revised/verified: 2007-10-09 Usually the process of writing the reusable blanks is much slower than non-eraseable ones. UDF (Universal Disk Format) software such as DirectCD lets you treat the CD-RW as a giant floppy, adding to it a bit at a time. Most drives are either pure CD-ROM, or combination of CD-ROM, CD-R (Compact Disc — Recordable) and CD-RW. Speeds are written 8×4×32× meaning 8 times faster than an audio cd plays to write, 4 times faster to rewrite an eraseable CD and 32 times faster to read.

Advantages

You save money over the long run.
More environmentally conscious because there is less plastic to discard. With regular CDs you can end up with shopping bags full of backups.

Disadvantages

Cost more to purchase.
Slower to write.
When you erase them, sophisticated spies can still read the some of the material that was previously on the disc.
You can’t rewrite the label. It works best if you put a label on to start, the date stamp each update.
You have the extra erase step before use.

Be careful discarding CDs. They may contain passwords, bank accounts, credit card info, identity theft info… A heavy duty shredder will destroy them.

backup
CD
CD burning
CD ripping
CD-R
CDROM
donut maker
DVD
DVD case
LightScribe
multiread
recordable
recycling and shredding CDs
rewriteable
UDF

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