# Do you still write CDs? DVDs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 16, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605 "2009-01-16T15:47:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605/1 "2009-01-16T15:47:23Z")
I was reflecting recently, and I realised that I seldom now write any CDs or DVDs. I almost always use USB memory sticks or USB HDDs. About the only time I do write a CD or DVD is when it’s an operating system install disk. How about you? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605/2 "2009-01-16T16:08:58Z")
I write CDs when I need to give people data. I write DVDs as one step in my backup process for my digital photos - every time I fill a card, I burn it to DVD and file it. I also keep full backups of my iPhoto library on two hard drives. I also burn Movie DVDs. ---
**Author:** ![3acresandatruck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e79b87/32.png) [@3acresandatruck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3acresandatruck)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605/3 "2009-01-16T16:11:20Z")
I still use both on a regular basis. If I’m going to see one of my sisters, I might take along a CD of photos I’ve taken recently. I’m on dialup and it’s faster to burn a CD. And I’m kind of into cars, so I’ve made some DVDs out of files posted by both friends and strangers. It once took me hours to download a video about a custom 1955 Chrysler. When you see a video of a blower motor running at WOT and wonder “who watches this stuff”…that’s me. I burn DVDs so I can watch it on my big screen TV. 😃 Plus, I use DVDs to back up my hard drive periodically. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605/4 "2009-01-16T16:28:51Z")
I just finished making my weekly code backup CD. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605/5 "2009-01-16T16:30:24Z")
iPhoto backup and for iMovies. ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605/6 "2009-01-16T16:34:07Z")
I make music CDs for my car all the time, usually mixes of stuff from my iTunes library. Use DVDs to back up stuff. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605/7 "2009-01-16T16:39:08Z")
I write CDs all the time to make CDs to listen to in the car. I have never burned a DVD yet. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605/8 "2009-01-16T16:42:03Z")
For music and movies. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605/9 "2009-01-16T19:43:26Z")
USB drives are disabled here, so burning CDs to make backups or to “sneakernet” big files is the only option. At home, I usually burn discs because it’s a pain getting at a free USB port and CDs are cheap. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605/10 "2009-01-16T19:51:42Z")
I also burn a CD every week for listening in the car. I record over 9 hours of NPR every weekend and listen to it all week. I DVR TV shows and movies and if they’re something I want to keep and aren’t DMR-prohibited (read, recorded from HBO), I will archive them as MPEGs to DVD. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605/11 "2009-01-16T21:57:48Z")
Burn CDs of music for others frequently. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605/12 "2009-01-16T22:14:29Z")
CDs have an edge over thumb drives in two situations: First, if you want to keep the information around for a long time, such as for a backup, you can burn a disk and leave it on the shelf, without having to worry about making space on the drive for the next thing. Second, if you want to give the information to someone else, blank CDs are cheap enough that you can just burn one and give it to them, without worrying about getting it back. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Onimous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@Ann\_Onimous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Onimous)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605/13 "2009-01-16T22:21:15Z")
I have to burn DVDs on a regular basis for my job. I also backup my work computer once a month with a DVD. Home: I use a memory stick or a SD card. ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605/14 "2009-01-16T22:49:09Z")
I haven’t burnt a CD in a few years now. I used to use them for data storage back when I had a laptop and was downloading buttloads of videos, but I have enough space now that I don’t need to for that reason. (Well, that and I’ve stopped torrenting anime three times a week) The only other reason I would burn a CD is for a video contest entry, but that’s a rare occurrence, and some allow online submissions. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605/15 "2009-01-16T22:54:24Z")
Another burns them for the car type. I still don’t own an MP3 player. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605/16 "2009-01-17T00:07:17Z")
DVDs at home for archiving of movies & music. I burn a fair amount of CDs and DVDs at work for archiving and transfer of documents. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605/17 "2009-01-17T01:04:09Z")
I just burned two DVDs of photos this week. I trust DVDs for archiving purposes more than USB memory sticks or external hard drives. ---
**Author:** ![Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d9b06d/32.png) [@Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichini_Sanshigo)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605/18 "2009-01-17T01:10:01Z")
Not since I got an Ipod/mp3 player. I haven’t even bought any CDs for a very long time. I just bought a Jill Scott CD today. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605/19 "2009-01-17T01:10:10Z")
I burn CDs all the time for backups. I can’t afford an external HD right now, and since my computer is a Mac, it allows symbols in the name like / that screw up efforts to just dump everything on a memory stick. Unless you have a solution for either of these problems…? (Hint, hint… :)) ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605/20 "2009-01-17T01:30:54Z")
We burn data to CD for clients all the time. Often we’ll put a project on CD and put it in the file folder. Kind of neatens things up. We still use disks, even. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-write-cds-dvds/481605.md?page=2)