http://www.infoworld.com/article/06/01/10/73755_HNcdlifespan_1.html

January 10, 2006 | IDG News via InfoWorld.com

IBM expert warns of short life span for burned CDs
Burned CDs have a life span of between two to five years, storage expert says


By John Blau, IDG News Service

Opinions vary on how to preserve data on digital storage media, such as
optical CDs and DVDs. Kurt Gerecke, a physicist and storage expert at
IBM Deutschland, has his own view: If you want to avoid having to burn
new CDs every few years, use magnetic tapes to store all your pictures,
videos and songs for a lifetime.

"Unlike pressed original CDs, burned CDs have a relatively short life
span of between two to five years, depending on the quality of the CD,"
Gerecke said in an interview this week. "There are a few things you can
do to extend the life of a burned CD, like keeping the disc in a cool,
dark space, but not a whole lot more." [...]