The following is a Plus Edition-only article written and copyright by Richard W. Eastman."How long will a CD or DVD last?" As you might guess, the only correct answer is, "It all depends."
The one thing to remember about digital data is that there is no signal degradation in the output. In a digital environment, data is stored in "bits," often referred to as "ones and zeroes." Each bit either is there or it isn't. Analog data, however, is stored in an infinite number of signal strengths. This variable information is the problem; if not exactly perfect, the result is degraded audio or images. Analog data will degrade over time; digital data will not.
Continue reading "(+) Life Expectancy of Audio Tapes and VHS Video Tapes versus CD and DVD Disks" »


Genealogical Publishing Company recently released a new CD-ROM disk: Southside Virginia Genealogies by John W. Pritchett. The disk contains a compilation of several hundred family histories, most of which are documented back to the colonial period in Southside Virginia. This week I had a chance to use the new disk for a while.


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