Longevity also depends on the type/quality of the CD.

If you buy a spindle at Staples, know this:  It was probably manufactured in
Western China, put in a container and shipped by rail to Shanghai or Hong
Kong, steamed across the Pacific to Long Beach or San Diego, transferred to
a train or semi, stored in a warehouse, and sat on a retail shelf.  In the
mean time, the organic dyes in the substrate are bio-degrading.  In sum: the
lifespan may be shortened before you even get it.

On the other hand, there are archival quality CDs that will last
considerably longer.

In addition to the other environmental factors, you should know that cosmic
rays (primarily gamma rays) come out of the sky and destroy individual
pixels on a recording.  This is more an issue in Denver, Jesse, than it is
at seal level, as the atmosphere filters some.  

Personally, I store my family photos on archival CDs in the safe deposit box
of my bank, which is sheltered in metal in the basement.  What I don't know
is if there is a danger from radon emitting from the soil underneath.

In addition to the other threats of obsolescence, consider the longevity of
operating systems, application software, and the compatibility of
peripherals and their drivers.

Oh, yeah.  Don't forget prayer. :-)

Good luck,

Gordy
Gordon E.J. Hoke, CRM, IGP
[log in to unmask]
Lake County, IL USA

List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
To unsubscribe from this list, click the below link. If not already present, place UNSUBSCRIBE RECMGMT-L or UNSUB RECMGMT-L in the body of the message.
mailto:[log in to unmask]