Computer lingo is loaded with letters, numbers and acronyms, but five stand out above the rest: CD-ROM.
An acronym known only among aficionados as recently as five years ago, it is now so universal that no one who has a personal computer or is thinking of buying one can avoid it.
Even those who never intend to buy a personal computer can enter the brave new world of CD-ROM by buying a gizmo that plugs into the TV.
But it’s a confusing world, and questions abound.
Q-What is CD-ROM?
A-CD-ROM (ROM rhymes with bomb), stands for Compact Disc-Read Only Memory. The disc looks exactly like the audio CD that has all but replaced the long-playing album in record stores. In addition to sound, a CD-ROM disc can hold words, pictures and moving images that can be read by a computer and displayed on a screen.
Q-What’s the big deal?
A-Plenty. A 4 3/4-inch disc can hold enormous amounts of information, the equivalent of 260,000 pages of printed text. The disc’s ability to also store sounds and images means it can offer information in a multimedia, interactive format.
Q-Sounds neat, but what’s interactive about it?
A-You don’t sit there and watch the encyclopedia unfold from A to Z on the screen. You can call up any subject you want quickly and can explore it at various degrees of depth. And though you can’t alter information on the disc, you can copy text and illustrations into your computer so that you can use it for your own purposes. For example, your 7th-grade daughter could take the CD-ROM encyclopedia’s maps and charts of France, and with some simple electronic “cutting and pasting,” print out a nifty looking page to include in her report on the country.
Q-How good are the sound and moving images of CD-ROM systems?
A-The sound is excellent-you can play music CDs on them-but the moving images are herky-jerky.
Q-What equipment do you need to use CD-ROM?
A-You need a late-model personal computer with a CD-ROM reader, also known as a CD-ROM drive. That means an Apple computer no more than 4 years old or an IBM-compatible computer with at least the power of a 386 microprocessor, and preferably a 486. If you’re not interested in owning a personal computer but still like the idea of CD-ROM, forget the CD-ROM reader and buy a CD-ROM player that plugs into your television. With a player, you use a remote-control mouse to control what happens on the screen. With a reader, you use a mouse or a keyboard or both.
Q-How much does CD-ROM hardware cost?
A-If you’re buying a personal computer, a built-in CD-ROM reader will add about $300 to its cost. If you want to add a CD-ROM reader to the personal computer you already have, it will likely cost you between $300 and $700. CD-ROM players that plug into televisions instead of computers range from about $350 to $700.
Q-How much does CD-ROM software cost?
A-Most consumer-oriented CD-ROMs sell for $30 to $80, though the popular CD-ROM encyclopedias retail for as much as $500.
Q-Can any CD-ROM disc run on any CD-ROM system?
A-No. Although CD-ROMs all look alike, they run only on the specific machines for which they are designed. A CD-ROM disc made for a CD-ROM player that hooks to a TV cannot be played on a CD-ROM reader hooked to a personal computer.
Q-You mean that great CD-ROM game my kid wants may not work on our CD-ROM system?
A-That’s right. However, some of the most popular games, educational software and resource materials are produced for a variety of machines, so they can be used on an Apple or IBM-compatible computer, or a Commodore, VIS or Sega player.
Q-Why isn’t there an industrywide standard?
A-Because the industry is still in its early shakeout period. One or two formats now available will probably become the standard, but it will take time for the dust to settle.
Q-So, is it best to wait to buy a CD-ROM system?
A-Maybe yes, maybe no. There’s plenty of good equipment and software available now, and the industry is competitive enough that you can find some very good deals. You just need to do some careful, comparative shopping, being sure that the software you want will play on the machine you buy.
Q-Any recommendations?
A-Just some general ones. If you’ve already decided to buy a personal computer, it’s probably worth the extra money to get it with built-in CD-ROM. Find out what CD-ROM software is available for your machine, and ask to see a demonstration.
Q-Where can I get more information about the discs available?
A-Send for a catalog from FABulous PCs in Longwood, Fla., (407-834-6277) that lists more than 500 discs. The catalog separates them into eight categories: Art and desktop publishing (56 titles, most sell for $50 to $90, with a few from $350 to $400); business and legal (24 titles, most for less than $100); education (73 titles, most for between $40 and $70); entertainment (119 titles, most for between $40 and $70); military (six titles, ranging from $50 to $70); medical (21 titles, ranging from $70 to $3,300); reference (120 titles, most for between $50 and $400); and shareware (99 titles, most for between $40 and $70).
