Community Chat

[Photo Donna]

On 9/13/2014 hckynut said:

On 9/13/2014 Photo Donna said:

I have two external hard drives. I back up to each one -- photos and documents.

CDs are becoming obsolete -- there are many newer computers with no CD drive.

Hi Photo Donna,

Most new computer do not come with CD/DVD burners nowadays. I see that as much different that them becoming obsolete. Much more information can be downloaded from websites and thus people need a CD less for this same information.

New computers used to come with "install CD's", while the computers nowadays have all this built into them or put into them before they are shipped. Many computers used to come with "How to operate CD'S", but now most require a person to go to a website to download a .pdf file with the "Owners Manual Information".

While SD cards and other similar cards are now being used as a method of saving information, I don't see them as replacing the CD or DVD being used for the same reasons. It is well documented, from years of studies, how long information will last on a CD or DVD. These SD type of cards have not been around long enough to know for sure if the length of time they retain information is the same or even close to that of the silver or gold platters.

I can tell you for sure there is no way I would buy any computer that did not have a CD/DVD drive/burner. Sure I could buy an internal or external drive/burner, but I prefer having one built into my computer as I already have enough peripherals sitting around on my very big office desk.

Good to see you,

I understand your position. When I was shopping for a new laptop over a year ago -- many did not have a CD drive. I chose one with it -- but next time -- who knows? Likewise, I don't see a lot of CDs available for purchase to burn to like I used to.

Files are more secure on external drives anyway -- a CD is not the best place to keep files you are looking to save for a long time.

I do not choose to use a cloud type service since I am unsure of the compression on photo files.

[Mominohio]

I can tell from all the answers in this post, I'm a little to the old fashioned side. I have lived long enough to remember when (for our family anyway) photography was a bit of a luxury. Film and developing were expensive, and pictures in the 50's and back were pretty much only holiday/special event affairs.

In the 70's, when the instant gratification Polaroid cameras came out, we did that, but learned quickly that the lasting quality wasn't there, and expensive too.

As a young adult, I got a nice SLR camera, burned through lots of film and developing, and the results were always dependent on a certain amount of luck that you go the shot just right.

Digital photography!!!! My kid was the first generation of what I refer to as "the most overphotographed generation in history". We could take millions. And I went digital only for awhile.

But I got tired of the various format changes in technology (with video especially) and wanted back that picture in hand. What I have done, is every time my SD or XD card is full, I head off to Walmart, develop the stuff I really love, write on the back (I actually spent two years going through pics given to me from 4 generations of family and noted people, places, dates, etc. on the back of EVERY photo) and make a CD of the entire card to keep for reference.

We keep no pics on computer. we don't have phones that are any good for pics. I make albums chronologically , and like having that actual pic much better, with the CD back up , than any other way I could think of. I don't mind more electronic forms of storage, but the pics that really mean something to me, I want a hard copy!

[chickenbutt]

Remember the floppy drive? ha! I had some floppies and, fortunately, on my last computer that had the drive, I was able to convert those to CDs and later moved them onto external drives.

[Elstongunn]

I use mostly thumb drives (aka flash/jump).

However, to me there is nothing like thumbing through old individual pictures stored in a shoebox! Some from the 40s and 50s came in little paper folders. I love the feel of the photo paper, the dates stamped on the bottom of the margin or on the back, or the name of the photographer and city/state printed on the back if it was a professional photo. I am a very tactile person, and the sense of feel is important to me as part of the enjoyment of a book or old photos.

Guess I'm old fashioned, too!