Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!hellgate.utah.edu!caen!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!uupsi!camb.com!bruce From: bruce@camb.com (Barton F. Bruce) Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec Subject: Re: CD-ROM: What's it good for? Message-ID: <1991Feb8.035034.39537@camb.com> Date: 8 Feb 91 08:50:33 GMT References: Distribution: comp Organization: Cambridge Computer Associates, Inc. Lines: 29 In article , libove@libove.det.dec.com (Jay Vassos-Libove) writes: > In article windley@cheetah.cs.uidaho.edu (Phil Windley/20000000) writes: > > system software is comoing on CD-ROM and I'm getting a CD-ROM drive. My > question is what is the CD-ROM drive good for besides reading software > > No, the current DEC "RRD40" CD ROM drives do not have a music port on them. > DEC is switching from LMS to Sony, and from custom to off-the-shelf drives. Sony is only making custom CDROMs for Apple and SUN, and I assume it is just a microcode difference. The Sony CDU 541 **DOES** have an audio jack on the front, and a connector on the rear. You will get a flip open caddy with the new RRD42 drives, and DEC will no longer ship CDs in LMS's proprietary caddy (RRD40 style), but in Tyvek sleeves in a 12 CD pouch. For VMS, DEC has now dropped microfiche for source listings, so you have to get the CD version. Decus s/w is now on CDrom. Since LMF controls how long s/w is used, demos of s/w and of DEC's new Ed Services CD based training courses are distributed on CDROM, 'free'. I have in my hand a pile of 31 "Decus Trail PAKs" DEC's s/w demo offer from the last DECUS. Call 800.343.4040 and say you want the DEC World / Decus demo CDROM. 3 months of things like C, PAscal, Fortran, ADA, LISP, NOTES, etc. They sure aren't going to GIVE you tk50s for all that s/w!, but a CDROM, why not! Current demo PAKs drop dead after 30-apr-1991. With wholesale of that Sony drive being between 400 and 450 (@ quantity 1, internal model ), street price isn't that much more! remember it IS a PC drive too, so there is SERIOUS discounting.