Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!emory!att!cbnewsd!jdu
From: jdu@cbnewsd.ATT.COM (john.d.unruh)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware
Subject: Re: CD-ROM player for both Mac and PS/2
Message-ID: <12771@cbnewsd.ATT.COM>
Date: 19 Jan 90 14:02:58 GMT
References: <1391@key.COM>
Reply-To: jdu@cbnewsd.ATT.COM (john.d.unruh,ih,)
Distribution: comp
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 33

In article <1391@key.COM> perry@arkon.key.COM (Perry The Cynic) writes:
>
>Unfortunately, the PC/Mac issue for CD ROMS is important. As of today,
>about 70% of all CD ROM titles (of my random sample) seem to come with
>PC retrieval software, with the remaining 30% being Mac-ish disks.  I don't
>want to give up on either side. But what's a user to do? I'm not sure...
>  -- perry
>-- 
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Perry The Cynic (Peter Kiehtreiber)		     perry@arkon.key.com
>** What good signature isn't taken yet? **	   ...!pacbell!key!perry


I have used some reference CD ROMs in a library on a PC.  The data comes from
several different vendors, and the user interface to access the data differs
from vendor to vendor.  As an occasional user (three or four times a year), I
find it difficult to use despite being accomplished with computers.

I think the right solution is to invent a standard way to store the information
on the CD ROM and then to have a user interface program for each type of 
computer (PC, MAC, ATARI ST, AMIGA, etc) that comes on a floppy for that machine
or is sold separately.  Then the information publishers can put out the
information for the largest possible market and the information users can have
a compatible interface to the CD ROM media from all vendors.  With current
technology, perhaps a relational database and standardized image and sound
formats would solve the problem.

In a way what we have is like designing CD players (audio) that all play the
same CDs, but that have interfaces (audio out) that is not standardized.  
In that sort of system, only those with the "right" receiver, integrated amp,
or preamp could use the CD player.

John Unruh