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From: brian@umbc4.umbc.edu (Brian Cuthie)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: CD-ROM Drives
Keywords: cd-rom
Message-ID: <1991Jun22.144502.17475@umbc3.umbc.edu>
Date: 22 Jun 91 14:45:02 GMT
References: <1991Jun20.231036.24324@macc.wisc.edu> <1991Jun21.002247.15086@leland.Stanford.EDU> <1991Jun22.084101.4019@gmuvax2.gmu.edu>
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In article <1991Jun22.084101.4019@gmuvax2.gmu.edu> ppham@gmuvax2.gmu.edu ( ) writes:
>Why should we settle for CD-ROM ? read-write Optical Disks are getting smaller
>cheaper, & much faster then CD-ROM. need I say more ? 
>

YES! Please say more.  I have found read-write Optical Disks to be neither:

	1. cheaper than CD-ROM (in either drive or media cost)

	2. smaller

They may be faster, since the CD-ROM is a continuous spiral track technology, it
is relatively slow at random seeking.  But at ~$1.50/disk, it's a GREAT way
to distribute 600Mbytes of data.

And another thing :-)(this note is more of a general retort than specifically
about anything you've said here) the reason BaNG people may not be interestd
in the CD project EPS was taling about is because they would have to buy a
CD-ROM drive for that *one* disc.  If, on the other hand, there was 
a comitment from NeXT to use CDs for distribution, then people would 
already have a good reason for owning the drive.  Once people have the drives
then other CD based projects gain popularity much faster.

-brian