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CDs are now stored in the Family Bible

Backing up pictures and files to recordable CDs and DVDs has become inexpensive and dependable. Longtime reliability depends on and results from knowing how to handle the silver plastic discs.
If you burn a CD with information to be placed in longtime storage or to protect an information investment, use a soft tipped marker to identify the disc. A CD’s upper label side is thinner then the bottom clear side, so writing with a hard pen will break the thin surface. A sticky label’s adhesive can cause deterioration of stored information in time. CDs can be damaged by just lightly scratching on the label side. The clear underside is also fragile, but it can take more scratches and abuse than the thinner top layer.
Technical: A CD-R drive - burner writes data by using a laser to physically burn pits into a coating of organic dye. That dye is sprayed on a reflective aluminum sheet that has been sandwiched and glued between a lower polycarbonate disc and the thin upper plastic protective layer. End of technical description.
CD jewel cases are the best method of long term storage; but avoid deep flexing of a disc when removing it from a tight center post. Damage occurs because flexing the disc puts strain on the glue layer holding it all together. DVDs are more durable than CDs because they use two layers of the heavier plastic. But a DVD’s glue layer is also easy to break if deeply flexed while being removed from that hard, gripping case.
If thin flexible storage sleeves are used to save space, use those made of Tyvex. Paper dust can accumulate inside a paper CD sleeve and create a damaging sandpaper effect. Avoid stacking CDs. Carelessly letting them rub against each other in a stack will damage many discs at the same time.
The National Media Lab, a government agency, has certified many name brands of CD-R media for lifetimes of at least 50 years when stored in cool, dry and clean conditions.
Always make two CD copies of important data. If possible, avoid programs that compress data or flow data onto multiple discs. The process of making multidisc backups at the same time may be easier, but the content may not be readable years from now when you wish to recover those valuable word processing, check registers or family photos.
When saving valuable photos and important documents, be aware of data formats. Thirty years from now it will be almost impossible to find a picture viewer that can recognize GIF and BMP extensions; but TIFF and JPEG will continue. It may also be difficult to find Microsoft’s DOC documents: however, Microsoft’s Rich Text and Adobe PDF formats are projected to remain standards. Betamax Video tapes and Laservison Discs were “invented” in 1978, and anyone with a closet full of either format can confirm this concern.
Storing computer information on CD-R and DVD-R media has become a very easy to use process. Avoiding the minor problems addressed here can make backing up computer data a very dependable and ultimately rewarding experience.

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