Whether this medium is dual-layer DVD, blue-laser DVD, or kryptonite doesn’t mat-
ter. Just keep your eye on new storage technologies and you’ll be in a position to
save these images forever.
In addition to music, CDs can hold information such as photographs, graphics, text,
audio, and video (see Figure 19.2). CD-ROMs are used for encyclopedias, language
programs, software, training tutorials, books, games, and in many other ways.CHAPTER 19 PRESERVING YOUR IMAGES 289FIGURE 19.2
CD-ROMs hold
more than just
music.
The Advantages of a CD-ROM
One advantage to a CD-ROM is the large amount of information the disk can hold.
One CD-ROM can hold over 650 megabytes, enough for 12,000 images. By compari-
son, only 25 pictures of that size could fit on a floppy disk.
Other advantages are the low cost of reproducing CD-ROMs (compared to printing
on paper) and the ease and minimal cost of shipping a small, lightweight product
(see Figure 19.3). The disk is read by a laser beam, so unlike a floppy it won’t wear
out. Because the disk can only be read, not written on, data can’t be altered acciden-
tally or infected by a virus. CD-RW (compact disc, rewritable) is an alternate form of
CD that allows you to save additional information to the disc at a later time.
CD-ROMs are popular because they can be multimedia and interactive. A basic defi-
nition of multimedia is a combination of two or more media such as text, illustra-
tions, photographs, sounds, narration, animation, and video. Computers blend
media with a new ingredient—interactivity.