CD-ROM

Compact Disc-Read Only Memory compact discs. This is now an obsolete term since, in 1997, CD-RW discs also known as CD-Rewritable discs made "read only memory" a thing of the past. These 5.25 inch discs can be recorded, written over at will (unless file protected), and played back from computers connected to proper recording and/or playback drives. The CD-RW drives become like hard drives or floppy disc drives in that CD-RW discs may store files that can be executed in software packages such as word processors, spreadsheet software, ToolBook books, and HyperCard stacks. Some users want them to serve as auxiliary storage devices for computer text, audio, and video files. CD-RW drives will eventually be replaced by CD-DVD drives for DVD and DVD-RAM discs that are the same size but hold more than 20 times as much data. The problem for DVD is that CD-ROM drives exist in millions of computers and it will take time for the newer DVD hardware to take over as a standard. Presently, it is also much cheaper to record (encode) CD-RW discs using CD-R recorders costing less than $800. (See also CD-DVD and CD-ROM titles )