One more note about diskette and CD-ROM formats is that whenever we
have an 'upgrade' in storage media, it overlaps for a long time with
the old media, and we never upgrade to a media with less storage
density.  So, when 1.44 Mb 3.5" floppy diskettes came out, I copied
all my 5.25" 360 kb diskettes over to those.  And I made two copies.

When CD-ROM burners became cheap, I got one of those.  I copied all
of my 1.44 Mb diskettes to 650 Mb CD-R's, and made two copies.  5.25"
diskettes used to cost $5.00 or more when I used them; 1.44 Mb 3.5"
diskettes were cheaper.  CD-R media costs anywhere from free (with
rebates) to 25 cents apiece.

I fully expect that within the next 10 years we will have a newer
media that is even more dense, and cheaper.  So then my (200) 1.44 Mb
diskettes, which fit on one CD (but I used three or four to categorize
better), will fit easily onto whatever the new media is.  And I'll make
two (or more) copies.

With digital electronic media, it's important to make backups, and keep
backups in different locations than the originals.  Backups are cheap,
and no more trouble than ensuring your rolls are kept dry and bug-free.

Of course, you don't get the same reaction from friends when you pull
out a CD as you do when you open a cabinet of rolls...

Bill Mackin, Iowa