Compact Discs Pack Loads of Data
Compact discs, already popular with music buffs, are increasingly being used to distribute computer data and software.
But instead of replacing an older technology, they’re being used for new applications. That’s largely because of the vast amounts of information that a personal computer with an attached CD player can store and display.
Computer CDs are identical to the audio variety. As with the current generation of audio CDs, they can’t be erased or updated. That’s why they are called CD ROMs--ROM stands for read only memory.
And what a memory. A single CD can store up to 600 megabytes of information. That’s more than 600 million characters, or the equivalent of roughly 400,000 double-spaced typed pages. Grollier’s 21-volume Academic American Encyclopedia fits on a single disc. All this on a standard CD that is 4 1/2 inches in diameter and weighs less than an ounce.
CDs are a lot cheaper to produce than books. Once a company has invested about $1,500 to produce a master, it costs as little as $2 per disc to make further copies. At those prices, it pays for businesses to create their own compact discs to store data or to distribute information to their employees or customers.
I’m not suggesting that these little discs will put paper mills out of business. But they do have their advantages. A field engineer, for example, could carry a CD-equipped laptop computer with an enormous collection of statistical, visual and even audio information, and would be able to find needed data quickly.
Many Applications
Scenario, a Boston-based company, recently introduced a computer that could serve that purpose--a $5,000 laptop called DynaBook with a built-in CD player.
Think of what CDs could do to revolutionize the way we locate products and businesses. A company could publish all of Southern California’s yellow pages on a single disc. With the right software, a customer could locate a company and have the computer dial the number. It’s not far-fetched to imagine the day when restaurants publish their menus as part of their CD-based yellow pages advertisements. Use a mouse or keyboard to select what you want for lunch and let the computer phone in your order. And why not provide software that can locate the nearest hardware store with the product you need?
I attended Microsoft’s fourth annual CD-ROM conference last week where companies showed some innovative applications for CD-ROM. Before attending the conference, I was lukewarm on the technology. I’ve had an Apple Computer CD player for several months but have been disappointed with the Macintosh titles that I’ve seen.
I was unimpressed, for example, by Broderbund Software’s CD-ROM version of the Whole Earth Catalog. The book it replaces fits nicely on my coffee table and is more fun and easier to use. But after seeing what is coming out for both IBM personal computers and the Mac, I’m very excited about this technology.
Apple used the conference to showcase several new titles from a variety of Macintosh and Apple II developers. Xiphias of Marina del Rey will soon release a disc for the Apple Macintosh that contains phone numbers, addresses and, in many cases, telex and fax numbers for about 116,000 U.S. businesses.
The disc, which is based on information from a publication called the National Directory, comes with software that can locate a company in two seconds or less. The computer can dial the number or transfer the information to another document via the Mac “clipboard.” It has a suggested retail price of $195, but some dealers will sell it as part of a $245 three-disc package that also includes assortments of illustrations and photographs provided by other publishers. Xiphias can be reached at (213) 821-0074.
Dialog Information Services, the granddaddy of on-line (dial-up) database services, offers Dialog OnDisc. The company has several discs for IBM compatibles, including “Standard & Poor’s Corporations,” with business and financial information on 9,000 publicly owned companies and on an additional 35,000 privately held businesses. It even includes biographical data on 70,000 business executives. The disc isn’t cheap--it’s $4,250 for six updates a year--but for the frequent user, it’s better than paying $84 to $96 an hour for use of the on-line version.
Several companies are using CDs to distribute copies of “shareware,” or public domain, programs that usually come on floppy disks, dial-up bulletin boards or information services such as CompuServe and GEnie. PC Sig, of Sunnyvale, Calif., offers a $179 disc with the equivalent of 365 floppy disks worth of programs. If you want the company’s entire library, you can order 1,240 separate floppy disks or send $495 for one compact disc. PC Sig can be reached at (408) 730-9291.
Mac users can get an impressive collection of programs, graphics files, fonts and articles from Quantum Access of Houston. I spent an entire evening perusing the $199 ClubMac disc and was overwhelmed. Fortunately, there is a menu system that guides users through its many files. For information, call (713) 622-3122.
Need Special Player
I came back from the conference with information on hundreds of CD titles. I also noticed a new magazine, called CD-ROM EndUser, that describes new hardware and titles. For information, write to 6609 Rosecroft Pl., Falls Church, VA 22043-1828.
Of course, you can’t run a CD disc without a CD player--standard audio players won’t do. Computer CD drives start at about $700, but don’t be surprised if a substantially cheaper version comes out soon.
And for those of you who want to go into competition with the Library of Congress, Pioneer Electronics will soon release a drive with a disc changer that allows users to access up to six discs for a total of 3.2 gigabytes of data storage. That’s 3.2 billion characters, or the equivalent of more than 2 million double-spaced pages.
Computer File welcomes readers’ comments but regrets that the authors cannot respond individually to letters. Write to Lawrence J. Magid, P.O. Box 620477, Woodside, Calif. 94062, or contact the L. Magid account on the MCI electronic mail system.
