Given the diverse needs of individuals and organizations that store, retrieve, distribute, and archive information, no one storage technology will exclusively win the market place. This is very true for optical storage technologies. Large WORM platters holding 5 to 20 GB's of information are clearly best suited for archival. The smaller 5.25" erasable disks are a convenient removable technology that meets the needs of large file servers. CD-ROM and CD-R discs are ideal low cost media for publishing and distributing information.

As for the future, it's here today. New optical products for 1995/1996 include:

1. MD Data: A new 1.8", 140 MB erasable optical disk technology that was originally targeted for audio, is now being adapted for the computer market.

2. Doubling of WORM Capacities: Improved lasers and media yield rates are resulting in higher capacity disks.

3. Doubling of Erasable Capacities: Quad density, 2.6 GB, erasable and CCW WORM disks are now available, but the drives will not be ready until late 1995.

4. 3.3 GB on a CD disc. New a proposed standard for Video CD will increase the data capacity to 3.3 GB's. Why 3.3 GB's? That's the capacity needed to store one full length digital movie on one disc!

If you are interested in learning more about optical disk technologies, here are some sources:

1. Standards Documents: Global Engineering Documents, phone: 1-800-624-3974.

2. CD Technology: Disc Manufacturing, Inc., has a great set of documents that describe CD standards and technology in layman's terms. Phone: 302-479-2527.

3. 3M: Guide to Understanding Rewritable Optical Disks and Direct Access Secondary Storage.

With 14 years of experience in the optical industry, Graham Irving is one of the most qualified individuals you will find in this industry. As president of INSTAR Corporation for the past 8 years, he has built the company into an internationally known optical disk organization.

Mr. Irving holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Calgary, and has been a member of several boards and panels, including the American National Standards Organization Optical Disk Committee, X3B11 and X3B11.1. His company's clients include the Smithsonian Institute, NASA, JPL, Amoco, Lockheed, Rockwell, Northrop, Textron, TRW, Government of Canada, US Army, US Navy, NATO, Pioneer New Media Technologies, to name but a few.

Mr. Irving can be reached at:

INSTAR Corporation
Suite 306, 205 9th Ave. SE
Calgary, AB, Canada
T2G 0R3
Phone: 403-264-7274
Fax: 403-264-7286
Email: graham@instar.com