The CD, or Compact Disc, made it possible to store more data than the previous storage media, the cassette and the floppy. Floppy drives were a standard characteristic on computers during the 90s; however, CDs rapidly altered that because of the added benefits a disc had over floppies, and before long, floppy drives were no longer found on computers. Videos, music, data and even video games were all placed on a CD, which was used as a new, multi-purpose storage item of the future. Without the CD, the music, video game, movie and computer industries might have looked much different than they do today.
Computers
Prior to CD drives, computers relied on floppy drives to transfer information from one computer to the next, and during the early 90s and much of the 80s, these floppy discs proved effective. Before the 90s, many computers depended on floppy drives, but when CDs came about in the mid 90s, they became the sought after medium for transferring data from one computer to the next. CDs were much more resistant to damage and were thinner than their floppy-disc alternatives.
Music
Computers may have benefited from CDs the most, but the music industry came in at a close second. No floppy or cassette tape could ever copy the amount of memory a single CD had, which made the Compact Disc the preferred item for storing digital audio. Using a Peer-to-Peer music program, music burner, Internet connection and CDs, an individual could place dozens of his most loved songs onto a single disc. Pirating music is illegal, and while the federal government did try to put a stop to many of the popular P2P music programs, it didn’t hinder millions of users from placing thousands of songs onto CDs. Cassette tapes and vinyl records never allowed buyers to produce their own music compilations, but CDs made it simple to make these.
Movies and Games
Since movies and video games often require gigabytes worth of storage, CDs could keep all the audio and visual information on a single disc. The movie industry could bring about higher quality images and place them onto a CD, and when the invention of Blu-ray players came about, newer discs with up to gigabytes worth of storage were used. Cartridge-based games were limited on memory, and video game companies could not place higher-resolution games on these memory units as a result of the restrictions, but with CDs, software programmers could use higher resolutions without fear.
While the older vinyl LPs and cassettes may no longer be popular, some people still hold on to these recording devices to show future generations the mediums that once existed. Collectors may have old White Stripes vinyl records laying around the house, but the sentimental worth an album has is priceless.
