@ReallyActuallyFrankenstein@lemmynsfw.com

Post #63678

2025-12-14 21:29 UTC

Remember that CDs, CDRs, and so on we’re originally pitched as surviving 100 years. Turns out they last a highly naturally amount of time but potentially as little as 2-3 years before they degrade, depending on the construction. So I’ll just say, this is clearly a theoretical value.

Replies (4)

@smuuthbrane@sh.itjust.works 2025-12-14 22:00

How can you be so sure they haven’t already done durability testing??

Open ##63773
@Horsecook@sh.itjust.works 2025-12-15 00:34

The data on CD-DAs and CD-ROMs is recoverable, even if it’s from a bad batch that suffered disc rot, as the data is physically pressed into the polycarbonate, and is unaffected by the oxidation of the aluminum reflective layer. Longevity claims failed to account for that, but were also made in contrast to magnetic tapes, which wear substantially from use, and bleed in storage, destroying the data. CD-R and CD-RW discs use different methods of data encoding, and were never advertised as having similar longevity.

Open ##64268
@dovahking@lemmy.world 2025-12-15 04:07

So it’s 2 to 3 percent of original estimate? That means it’ll last anywhere from 280 to 420 million years. Dead on arrival tech.

Open ##64792
@MalReynolds@slrpnk.net 2025-12-15 12:13

The ones with metal pigment are still waiting to fail, the ones that died used a cheap organic dye, coz profit. This is Silica (i.e. quartz, a long lived rock) with variances in polarization and intensity,( hence 5D when combined with a 3D Crystal)) OK generic marketing crap and will you have their special reader in a century, but it’s a solid way to project knowledge into the far future (gotta wonder if we need to re-examine some quartz crystals with this in mind ;}

Open ##65547