02-16-2007, 02:24 PM
As long as the "form-factor" is the same I don't think CD or DVDs will go away, since it is so easy and cheap to keep backward compatibility a "feature" in the new HD/DVD drives.
Now if HD/DVD goes to a smaller physical size, or we move to non spinning holographic storage media, then yes, CD and all other spinning disks will eventually become obsolete, much as the vinyl LP did when they went from a physical stylus to an optical laser beam for reading the "data" from the discs.
And I for one believe spinning media WILL become obsolete before long (10 years or less) because spinning is such a BAD way to read data if there is a cheap way to do it with no moving parts (think flash media). Spinning was a necessity at the time it was developed, but I think its days are numbered. Just my 2 ยข.
Now if HD/DVD goes to a smaller physical size, or we move to non spinning holographic storage media, then yes, CD and all other spinning disks will eventually become obsolete, much as the vinyl LP did when they went from a physical stylus to an optical laser beam for reading the "data" from the discs.
And I for one believe spinning media WILL become obsolete before long (10 years or less) because spinning is such a BAD way to read data if there is a cheap way to do it with no moving parts (think flash media). Spinning was a necessity at the time it was developed, but I think its days are numbered. Just my 2 ยข.