11 May
2006
11 May
'06
10:12 a.m.
On Thu, 11 May 2006, Richard wrote:
Speaking of which...
I never understood why CD-ROM drives used the caddy thing. Why not
just use a tray like the drives have now?
Most of the content media used to be fairly expensive. With the exception
of shovel-ware, even trivial products were in the hundred-plus dollar
range.
The perception was that caddies would protect the valuable discs.
Eventually it became clear that CDs could usually handle the level of
abuse of users changing them in a tray.
What was even funnier was that most libraries would dedicate a machine for
each disc! Thus, a request to purchase any CD-ROM was budgeted as a
complete system. They couldn't understand that that was like having a VCR
for each VHS tape.
I offered to donate a small collection to the college, but they couldn't
"afford to buy that many more machines"!
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin at xenosoft.com