CD-ROMs: Wonder or worry?

Abstract

The CD-ROM is a standard compact disk with a storage capacity of the equivalent of 200- 250 thousand pages of information in A4 format. It can be used for online information retrieval for thosewhoare unable to access remote databases. A microcomputer, a CD-ROM reader and a printer is needed for using CD-ROMs. This technology has been spreading rapidly in the past 3-4 years, and it has already several different types (various database types, catalogues etc). The number of producers is also growing. The retrieval systems for CD-ROMs are not uniform but a trend for their standardization is apparent. Their updating frequency depends on their character. Finally, the popularity of the application and the experiences of CD-ROM technology in Finland are presented.