[91] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
CD Longevity and JANET OPACS
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Lloyd Davidson)
Mon Apr 27 12:13:26 1992
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1992 11:05:00 CDT
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
From: Lloyd Davidson <ldavids%casbah.acns.nwu.edu@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L@UHUPVM1.BITNET>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
CD Longevity
An article in the Apr. 4 issue of New Scientist, p. 19,
describes new test procedures European CD manufacturers
are implementing that might finally provide truly archival
CDs. Until now potential problems with the oxidation of the
aluminum surface, deterioration of the lacquer covering, and
other possible breakdowns of their structural integrity
has caused general apprehension about their
long term stability. Now, under pressure from the British
company Nimbus, "all the European plants have agreed to a test
procedure, which involves putting CDs in an environmental
chamber, raising the temperature from 20 degrees C to 48
degrees C in half an hour, leaving the tmperature steady for
12 hours, and then cycling down again. This goes on, at a
relative humidity of 95% for four weeks." This will be turned
into a standard which will be added to the Red Book of CD
standards published by Philips. If used by manufacturers,
Bert Gall, General Manager of Optical Systems at Philips in
Eindhoven, says the "life of a disc will be more than a
thousand years." This might be a bit optimistic, but it is
nice to see some rigorous standard adopted. I would like to
see them add some flexing to the text.
JANET OPAC Guide
From the IATUL News (Vol 1. 1992, No. 1)
The JANET User Group for Libraries (JUGL) has published a
guide to UK OPACS available on JANET. Copies can be
purchased from the University of Sussex Library, Brighton,
BN1 9QL, UK. 1.6 Pounds for single copy. 8 copies for 10
pounds, 20 copies for 15 Pounds (invoiced). These are the
prices in Britain, they may be higher from the US.
For more info you can contact Michael Breaks, Librarian,
Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, Scotland.
LIBMLB@UK.AC.HW.VAXB (UK)
LIBMLB@VAXB.HW.AC.UK
Lloyd Davidson
LDavids@casbah.acns.nwu.edu
