Quad Speed!

No, I am not referring to the speed at which people who are quadriplegic manoeuvre in some Star Trek-ian manner. I am referring to the speed at which CD-ROMs operate these days.

Most of the newer machines spin the compact disc at four revolutions per second ("quad" speed). This allows for faster access to the information stored than was previously possble.

A CD- (compact disc) ROM (read-only memory) allows users enormous amounts of information on a single disc without accessing the existing storage on their computer. Traditionally, most CD-ROMs have been used for encyclopedia, financial information and other educational applications. Because the information is carefully partitioned on the CD, it offers quick access. This is preferable to looking up the information in a manual format. It also saves trees! In addition, because all of the information is digitized, users can expect almost perfect quality even after hours of usage.

The new Windows 95 operating system offered by MicroSoft uses 15 diskettes to load up. With a CD-ROM, an individual can retrieve and download information at a rate of up to 4.2 megabytes per second. CD-ROMs store up to 650 megabytes of information. This is more than the average computer’s capacity. All platforms, DOS, OS/2, Unix and Macintosh have CD-ROM capability.

Now, CD-Rs (recordables) allow companies to develop their own CD-ROMs. Using a super computer, a burner -- as it is referred to in the industry -- writes information to discs. The cost of a burner is between $4,000 and $10,000. Companies can write discs for $10 per disc. This is ideal for companies that want to have the "latest and greatest" to get an edge over their competitors.

One of the biggest advantages of a CD-ROM is the amount of information that can be stored on a small disc. However, many people find that the multi-media feature is what sells them. Individuals can use their CD-ROM to listen to and watch a company’s sales pitch in an interactive fashion. Children can experience direct cause and effect as their characters sing and dance in their favourite educational software package.

CD-ROMs have a foothold on today’s computing. They serve a useful purpose in presentations, but they are also extremely fun... and faster than your average quad!

(Dan Thompson is a consultant with Deegee Rehabilitation Technologies. He can be reached at (416) 929-9530.)