# DVD-ROM For My New Computer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 8, 1999, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-rom-for-my-new-computer/4638 "1999-11-08T03:21:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 1999, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-rom-for-my-new-computer/4638/21 "1999-11-09T09:38:00Z")
Lisa, heres a link that has about everything a beginner needs to know about MP3s. [http://help.mp3.com/help/?hpgs2](http://help.mp3.com/help/?hpgs2) About that CD-RW drive, as long as its a CD-RW drive, you need to be sure that you have CD-RW discs, if they say you can only record once, they likely are CD-R. This means CD-writable. CD-RW means CD-Rewritable. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 1999, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-rom-for-my-new-computer/4638/22 "1999-11-09T16:33:00Z")
Yes, they can indeed read your HD when you access certain sites. Microsoft can do that. Did you notice that is what they do when you update online? They don’t do anything with it. They aren’t going to come to see you or anything. I just saw on the news that McAfee has a $20 a year subscription. You visit their site and they scan all your HD’s for viruses when you are online… ---
**Author:** ![pluto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f08c70/32.png) [@pluto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pluto)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 1999, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-rom-for-my-new-computer/4638/23 "1999-11-09T17:00:00Z")
Hey thanks for all the good info! I knew I could count on you! For the record I’ve decided to pass on the DVD-ROM for two reasons: 1) the DVD-ROM has particular sound/graphics card requirements that I don’t want to hassle with and 2) I don’t want to use my computer to view movies anyway. As was mentioned, if I want to watch DVD movies I’ll buy a DVD player. I also waffled with getting a CD-RW but I think I’ll just go straight CD-ROM for now. Most of the reason is that I have a nagging feeling that a CD-RW is more likely to have problems (i.e. stop working) whereas CD-ROMs are pretty reliable. If anyone can reassure me otherwise I’d appreciate it. I should have mentioned that my primary use of the computer is for word processing and programming, although I don’t mind listening to a music CD while I’m working. I’m not too concerned about sound or video tools and I actively discourage my kids putting games on the computer (as if they listen!) so some of the good reasons for getting a DVD-ROM don’t apply here. So thanks again for the input but don’t stop now if you’d still like to weigh in. I’m listening. * * * “Vandelay!! Say Vandelay!!” ---
**Author:** ![Narile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@Narile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Narile)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 1999, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-rom-for-my-new-computer/4638/24 "1999-11-10T06:33:00Z")
Omni, I believe what RealNetworks was doing is making a note of what music you were playing and sending it to the company that makes the CDDA data lists. They claimed that they were only sending the play lists, and not anything else, but who trusts network co’s? * * * \>\>Being Chaotic Evil means never having to say your sorry…unless the other guy is bigger than you.\<\< —The dragon observes ---
**Author:** ![Narile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@Narile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Narile)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 1999, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-rom-for-my-new-computer/4638/25 "1999-11-10T06:37:00Z")
Here is the relevant cite from cnn online: [http://cnn.com/TECH/computing/9911/01/internet.privacy.ap/index.html](http://cnn.com/TECH/computing/9911/01/internet.privacy.ap/index.html) As you can see, it was recording what you copied. * * * \>\>Being Chaotic Evil means never having to say your sorry…unless the other guy is bigger than you.\<\< —The dragon observes ---
**Author:** ![Lucky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Lucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 1999, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-rom-for-my-new-computer/4638/26 "1999-11-09T20:30:00Z")
My boss just bought me a new computer last week (for the office) and it is sweet! HP 27 gig HD, 600MgH processor, CDRW, DVD–everything. He was out of town yesterday so I watched Prince of Egypt(DVD). Very nice. I’ve copied a few CD’s and that seems quite nice as well. Next time I upgrade my home system, I’ll definately get the CDRW and DVD. * * * Don’t get me wrong–I love life. I’m just finding it harder and harder to keep myself amused. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 1999, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-rom-for-my-new-computer/4638/27 "1999-11-11T11:03:00Z")
- - - The system I bought had a DVD already installed. I didn’t expect to spend much on games or watch movies too often; it just came with the system. The DVD hasn’t caused any problems, but it isn’t particularly useful to me either. As far as games go, I bought this computer about a year ago but most games I see in stores now are still contained on a single CD. DVD games usually cost somewhat more, and often don’t contain anything significant as an extra except that they come on one DVD instead of more than one CD. And there’s usually a little movie you can watch: “The Making Of (whatever the game is)”,_big deal_. -And many popular games don’t take up nearly one entire CD: I see here that Half-Life requires only 262 megs of a 750 meg CD. - - I was told by someone who owned both that CD-R’s have less problems than CD-RW’s. - - Do CD-R and CD-RW read DVD’s? - MC ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 1999, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-rom-for-my-new-computer/4638/28 "1999-11-11T13:01:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Do CD-R and CD-RW read DVD’s? - MC No. But DVD’s can apparently read CD’s. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 1999, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-rom-for-my-new-computer/4638/29 "1999-11-11T16:06:00Z")
> [@](#): > > No. But DVD’s can apparently read CD’s. - PunditLisa - - - Yes, they can and do. I am told that DVD’s can read all (standard) CD formats. - - - - Now I don’t really know which I’d prefer; I don’t know that I’d be using a CD-R or a CD-RW for anything either. - The college I go to has zip drives and superdisks on almost all of their machines; a regular CD drive and one of either of those two would have been more useful. - MC [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-rom-for-my-new-computer/4638.md?page=1)