[filmscanners] Re: How to label CD backups

["Mark Paine" <mark@paineless.id.au>]

Quoting Julian Robinson <jrobinso@pcug.org.au>:

> Thanks for the quick answers guys, but maybe I should clarify - the issue
> is whether these pens will eventually corrode/dissolve/affect the useful
> layer which is right near the label side of the disc. These CDs will be my
> only records, and even though I keep multiple copies it won't help me if
> they all fail after a couple of years because of the pen I used.  There has
> been a lot of discussion around the place on this topic, and I have done a
> bit of research, but as I said - with conflicting results.
>
> Shen can you say why the oil-based is safe?  As you can see, there are
> others who say the opposite so I would like to feel comfortable with my
> decision.
>
> And Andrew, I definitely DO want to write on the main surface, not just the
> clear area in the middle, because of the way my storage works and what I
> want to write.
>
> Lastly, and frustratingly, I don't know what a Sanford sharpie is as I am
> in Australia.

Julian,

If you keep multiple copies of the same CD, why not hedge your bets and get two
or three different types of pens and and use one of them on each copy of the
CD?  ie a Sharpie on one of the backup CDs, and another pen on the other
(identicial?) CD?  That way if one does affect the CD, then you still have the
other CD with the data on it.  I do a similar thing with my CD backups.  One
set use one type of pen, the other set I use a different pen.

I don't think you are going to get a definate answer.  If there was one, then
you would have got it by now and everyone would have agreed on it.  With this
ongoing discussion, I think you can come to the conclusion that there is no
*known* answer with 100% certainty.

The Sharpie are available in Australia.  I got one from my local Woolworths
supermarket in the stationary section. They are just another brand/type of
Artline type markers which I gather are rather well known and popular in the
USA.

Mark P.
--
.sig - TBA
CBR AU



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe by mail to listserver@halftone.co.uk, with 'unsubscribe 
filmscanners'
or 'unsubscribe filmscanners_digest' (as appropriate) in the message title or 
body