CD-ROM

The CD-ROM (an abbreviation for "Compact Disc Read-Only Memory") is a non-volatile optical data storage medium using the same physical format as audio compact discs, readable by a computer with a CD-ROM drive. A CD-ROM is a flat, metallized plastic disc with digital information encoded on it in a spiral from the center to the outside edge. The CD-ROM Yellow Book standard was established in 1985 by Sony and Philips. Microsoft and Apple Computer were early enthusiasts and promoters of CD-ROMs. John Sculley, CEO of Apple at the time, said as early as 1987 that the CD-ROM would revolutionize the use of personal computers.

Copyright Issues

There has been a move by the recording industry to make audio CDs (CDDAs, Red Book CDs) unplayable on computer CD-ROM drives, to prevent copying of the music. This is done by intentionally introducing errors onto the disc that audio players can automatically compensate for, but confuse CD-ROM drives. Consumer rights advocates are as of October 2001 pushing to require warning labels on compact discs that do not conform to the official Compact Disc Digital Audio standard (often called the Red Book) to inform consumers of which discs do not permit full fair use of their content.

Related Topics:
Recording industry - Red Book - Red Book - Fair use

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Manufacturers of CD writers (CD-R or CD-RW) are encouraged by the music industry to ensure that every drive they produce has a unique identifier, which will be encoded by the drive on every disc that it records: the RID or Recorder Identification Code. This is a counterpart to the SID - the Source Identification Code, an eight character code beginning with "IFPI" that is usually stamped on discs produced by CD recording plants.

Related Topics:
CD-R - CD-RW - SID - IFPI

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