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Different types of data storages (HDD, flash storage, optical media) have their own sets of strengths and weaknesses.

Disadvantages of optical media (e.g. not nearly as portable as SD cards) are already known.

But optical discs deserve better.
Here are the advantages of optical media that not many know about:

  • Water resistance (although humidity shortens the long-term lifespan of the disc, if an optical disc fell into a pool, it will be perfectly fine.)
  • Reliably predictable failures due to error scanning: There is software like Nero DiscSpeed and QpxTool that allows scanning the surface for different error types (if supported by the drive), so that errors (unreadable sectors) can be predicted years ahead of happening. Much more reliable and predictable than S.M.A.R.T. .
  • True write protection on write-once media after finalizing, and in -ROM drives (that have no writing ability).
  • Cheapest per-piece data storage. Good for long lasting offline hard copies and offline file distribution.
  • Special premium types (Verbatim Gold, M-Disc) are built to last centuries. (I can't confirm, obviously.)
  • If a lightning hits your house (highly unlikely), any SSD connected to a computer that is connected to the MAINS power, would be instantly roasted by the power surge. And hard drives would need laboratory repair. But optical discs would be just fine, even if the optical drive was rendered defunct.
  • No point of mechanical failures that would lead to data loss. A mechanical failure could physically damage a hard drive, but the optical disc would just stop spinning. Also, an optical drive has less delicate parts than a hard drive.
  • 100% magnetic immunity.
  • No transistor charge loss like in flash storage.
  • (probably I forgot to mention something)

So optical media is technically not obsolete.

Floppy disks are technically obsolete but can still be purchased in some tech stores for retrocomputing/nostalgia and experimental purposes. But optical discs still have technical benefits that hard disks and flash storage can't fulfill, and vice versa obviously too.

Different types of data storages (HDD, flash storage, optical media) have their own sets of strengths and weaknesses. Disadvantages of optical media (e.g. not nearly as portable as SD cards) are already known. But optical discs deserve better. Here are the **advantages** of optical media that not many know about: * Water resistance (although humidity shortens the long-term lifespan of the disc, if an optical disc fell into a pool, it will be perfectly fine.) * Reliably predictable failures due to error scanning: There is software like Nero DiscSpeed and QpxTool that allows scanning the surface for different error types (if supported by the drive), so that errors (unreadable sectors) can be predicted years ahead of happening. Much more reliable and predictable than S.M.A.R.T. . * True write protection on write-once media after finalizing, and in -ROM drives (that have no writing ability). * Cheapest per-piece data storage. Good for long lasting offline hard copies and offline file distribution. * Special premium types (*Verbatim Gold, M-Disc*) are built to last centuries. (I can't confirm, obviously.) * If a lightning hits your house (highly unlikely), any SSD connected to a computer that is connected to the MAINS power, would be instantly roasted by the power surge. And hard drives would need laboratory repair. But optical discs would be just fine, even if the optical drive was rendered defunct. * No point of mechanical failures that would lead to data loss. A mechanical failure could physically damage a hard drive, but the optical disc would just stop spinning. Also, an optical drive has less delicate parts than a hard drive. * 100% magnetic immunity. * No transistor charge loss like in flash storage. * *(probably I forgot to mention something)* So optical media is technically **not** obsolete. Floppy disks **are** technically obsolete but can still be purchased in some tech stores for retrocomputing/nostalgia and experimental purposes. But optical discs still have technical benefits that hard disks and flash storage can't fulfill, and vice versa obviously too.

(post is archived)

[–] [deleted] • 1 pt

Thanks for the writeup. I ultimealy knew about alot of these advantages, but never really considered them as advantages over the other storage mediums. Thanks for sharing!

[–] • 1 pt

Sorry for late comment, but here are two more advantages of optical media which I forgot to mention in the original post:

  • No malicious USB _rubber duckies_. Optical discs (but SD cards presumably too) can not pose as peripherals and hijack the computer.
  • No USB killer possible. In any flash drive (SD cards too, although far less harmful due to restricted physical space) or USB peripherals and external devices, USB killer hardware could be hidden. But never _inside_ optical discs!
[–] • 1 pt

You're welcome!

I am glad you liked it.