XPost: comp.os.linux.advocacy, comp.os.linux.misc   
   From: nv@linux.rocks   
      
   On Fri, 27 Sep 2024 17:36:29 -0000 (UTC), Rich wrote:   
      
   >   
   > Having personally experienced failures of both cd-r and dvd-r media   
   > wherein the recorded media became unreadable in a very short timeframe   
   > (only a few years) even with proper storage it is not at all irrational   
   > to be skeptical of claims of significant lifetimes for optical media   
   > (esp.  the user recordable type, pressed disks are a different matter).   
   > Existing user recordable optical systems have, so far, had a poor track   
   > record, so any new system has a higher bar to get over before it is   
   > trusted for any long-term archive use.   
   >   
      
   My experience is far different from yours.   
      
   I have optical disks that I made in 2008 that are still quite   
   viable, and an associate of mine burned disks back in the 1990's   
   that are still readable with no errors.  (Both cases using GNU/Linux)   
      
   Possibly you had selected the inexpensive, "bargain basement"   
   brands of cd-r/dvd-r which may have much shorter lives.   
      
   Also, are you sure that the "r" designation is not actually "rw"   
   for re-writable disks?  The re-writable variety are known to to   
   degrade much more rapidly.   
      
   I always purchased Taiyo Yuden DVD's which have an excellent   
   reputation for longevity, but since DVDs have a small capacity   
   I now only use M-Disc bdr.   
      
   I am not a professional archivist but I know that libraries   
   and other institutions choose optical storage as a primary archival   
   medium.   
      
   Of course, one must always be mindful of future technology.   
   The strategy is to always copy important data to improved   
   formats but, so far, with optical media, this is not necessary   
   yet.   
      
      
      
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