Whats the difference between CDs (CD-ROMs) and CD-Rs (CD-Recordables)?
First, CD-ROM’s and CD-R’s function exactly the same in a drive. Basically, CD-ROM’s are injection molded polycarbonate plastic with the data actually molded into the surface at the point of manufacture. CD-R’s are pre-manufactured blank CD’s (similar to the way a Diskette is pre-manufactured and the data is duplicated onto the blank media in a process commonly called “burning a CD”.) Remember, CD’s are not read by magnetic charges as is a Diskette, rather the laser beam inside the device is actually reading highs and lows on the surface of the CD. This is why the data can be molded into the surface and why, once the data is there it cannot be changed or modified in any way. CD-R’s have a reflective surface, which can be silver, blue, or green, which has the capability to be removed where necessary by the high-intensity laser in a CD-R writer. This removal of the silver reflective surface is where the term “burning a CD” came from. The CD reader then reads the highs and lows created by
