Expert opinion: According to a study, digital media have a lifespan of less than 5 to 10 years.The CD and DVD storage revolution could then turn into a nightmare.By Olivier Chicheportiche |Monday, March 29, 2010Have we been lied to?When it was released, manufacturers praised the unalterable nature of the compact disc (CD) promising the lifetime preservation of the files engraved on these plastic discs.A promise reiterated at the launch of recordable DVDs.In addition to consumers, companies very quickly turned to this medium to store their data.It must be said that this medium brings together all the qualities: small size, substantial storage space, quick access... As a result, 10 billion cookies are sold each year.However, and many users have noticed, CDs and other DVDs are far from reliable.A simple scratch, too long exposure to light can render a disc unusable or erase data.Industrialists have turned a deaf ear, contesting these views.8% of unusable CDs after 4 yearsBut this time, a scientific study proves the mediocre quality of these media and of all digital media: hard disks, flash memory... Conducted by the Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Technologies, this study (which will be published on April 9) highlights overwhelming results.Not only does the lifespan of these supports not exceed 5 to 10 years, but in addition, this lifespan varies considerably according to the manufacturers or even within the same family of products.Scientists have thus observed disks that did not hold up after a year, and after 4 years, 8% of the CDs and DVDs tested are unusable.Finally, the higher the storage capacity of these discs, the more fragile they are.A Blu-ray is therefore more likely to crash than a DVD, which will itself be less reliable than a CD.In short, we could very quickly witness a massive disappearance of data, both among individuals (who would do better to print their photos rather than storing them on discs) and among companies where the problem will be much more sensitive.“A large amount of personal, medical, scientific, technical, administrative information, etc. is thus in real danger of disappearing”, underline Jean-Charles Hourcade, Franck Laloë and Erich Spitz, the authors of this study."It is necessary for everyone to know, if they want to keep selected information for the long term, on which medium to register it".So what are the solutions to avoid the catastrophe that is looming (catastrophe denounced by other specialists for years already)?Cloud storage can be useful.But it will not be able to support the colossal and exponential digital heritage of companies and the general public.We would have to invest billions of euros a year to keep up.In addition, online storage is also dependent on the stability of networks and servers which today are faced with the problem of electricity consumption.It is therefore a false good idea.Another solution: innovation.The authors of the study thus urge manufacturers to find new avenues for physical storage.Remember that the CD is thirty years old, so maybe it's time to move on.Towards a return of bands?50 years of innovation, decades after decades.The opportunity this time to examine the eighties.A period...By Olivier Chicheportiche |Monday, March 29, 2010300 GB optical discs: Sony and Panasonic partners around a new standardEU investigates possible cartel between 13 optical disc drive vendorsDon't throw away your old CDs and DVDsNordPass: the solution to stop bothering with passwordsThe hybrid cloud, a lever of profitability for SMEsHybrid organization: What are the challenges for your company?A server under my desk?How to Put Your Mac's Screen in Dark ModeHow to Create a Drop Down List in Google SheetsHow do you know how hot your iPhone is?How to reset your iPhone before selling it?Linux: how to use Uncomplicated Firewall?Receive the best IT Pro news every day in your mailboxWe are temporarily in maintenance mode, which means you will not be able to sign up for any newsletter.Please check back shortly to resume the subscription process.Thank you for your patience.Maximize your teams' potential for hybrid working View White PaperWe support SMEs in their IT development.We share with you our customer testimonials, webinars, white papers... 5 IT files to discover each monthTeleworking, infrastructure, tips, innovations... 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