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From the "Blue Chip News", a publication of the Saginaw Valley Computer Association, Saginaw, MI

CD's - Handle With Care!

By Ima Klone

Dear Ima,

I got a new CD-ROM in my computer a couple of months ago and it is great, especially when loading new software. I've recently discovered that I can listen to music by playing it in the CD of my computer while I am working at my computer. But I've got a question about the proper way to handle the CD's.

When I used the big floppies that were about 5 inches across-it seems like ages ago-I was careful to not lay them on the desk without placing it in a sleeve first. I had read in one of your articles that dust and dirt could get on the floppy media and really mess up the floppy drive.

The small 31/2" floppies were great because I didn't have to worry about scratching the disk anymore. I could lay them anywhere. But now I am wondering about the proper way to handle CD's.

When I purchase some of them they are often placed between a piece of paper that acts as advertising, some are in hard paper sleeves and some come in plastic cases. So far I have been treating them like I always treated a phonograph record. Right now I have about thirty CD's stacked up on my desk. Some are music CD's and some have software on them. Is there a right and wrong way to handle CD's?

(signed) Herb



Dear Herb

Until I got your letter I never thought much about the proper way of handling CD's. As a matter of fact I looked at how I was storing them. You were a bit more organized than I was. Some were in sleeves, some in a pile and I even found some laying in my pencil drawer. So I called Mr. Guru and asked him your question. Herb, you did us both a big favor by asking because this is what I learned.

When a CD is made it starts out as a film of plastic about 1.2 millimeters thick--about half the thickness of a dime. The data is recorded on it by a laser that burns tiny pits in it on the top surface. When the process is completed the top of the film is covered by a very thin coat of shiny aluminum. This provides a surface for the manufacturer to print pictures, logos or other identification on. When the ink is dry it is coated with a thin coat of lacquer.

Now if you would examine it in cross section ,the data--or soundtrack on a music CD--is really written on the label side of the CD. When the CD is read by the player by a laser beam that shines through the bottom of the CD and reads the data recorded on it at the top just under the aluminum coating. Some people think the CD is read from the bottom and reason that that is where the data portion is. That is not true.

Now let's answer your question about storage. If the CD is laid on the label side, and a tiny scratch of only thousandths of an inch is made on it (I guess that means really small), there will be permanent loss of data. If the bottom of the CD gets scratched or roughed up the laser will still be able to read it. However it can quickly become like a smeared window or pair of wet eyeglasses. If it gets bad enough it won't be able to see through the mess to read the data.

What's the solution? Treat them like eggs! Always store the CD, at a minimum, in a sleeve of some sort. The plastic boxes, called jewel cases, can be purchased for about a dollar each. They are a cheap investment as they give the best protection against scratching and other damages. Also they keep the CD clean preventing damage to the laser or lens in the CD player.

Mr. Guru went on to say that when you take the CD out of the case, to press with your finger on the notched hub retainer of the jewel case that holds the CD in place. Just grabbing the edges of the CD and pulling it off the retainer can cause the CD to crack thus destroying it. They are best handled by holding them by their edges keeping your fingerprints, and body acids, off the thin lacquer coating.

Ima

User Groups should feel free to reproduce this article in their publications. All we ask is that proper credit be given to the Author of the article, the Blue Chip News and/or the Saginaw Valley Computer Association. We would appreciate receipt of a copy of the newsletter that carries an article from the SVCA and participation in a newsletter exchange program.

Saginaw Valley Computer Association
PO Box 5827, Saginaw, MI 48603-0827
Lynn L Kauer, President/Editor
73450,3007@compuserve.com
LLKAUER@AOL.com

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