I haven't give this topic much thought, but apparently the folks at Roxio have. Roxio is a software company that makes CD an DVD burning software. (I use it ...great point-and-click stuff.)
If you're like me, you move images off your computer and store them on CD (I back up all my files — regardless — at least once a month, maybe more often if I'm having a busy month).
Now, we know how long B&W prints can last — Brady's Civil War shots are still around, so that's at least 140 years or so — and we probably have a decent idea how long color prints and slides can last.
What we don't know is how long CDs and whatnot will last, even though there has been simulated aging done to them and various results conclude in the 100s of years, etc.
(It also behooves you to store the device you recorded on with your backed up stuff so you'll be able to read it in the future. Ever tried to find out what's on those 5.5 inch floppies [do you even remember those?]? How about finding a computer these days that will run 3.5 disks? Save those drive before tossing the computer. But I digress ...)
So Roxio did a test on the markers we use to label CDs and DVDs, and it seems all are not equal (hint: if you can smell your marker, you shouldn't use it on a CD). HERE'S their report. Apparently there are markers made specifically to label CDs.
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