I did specify the film when I talked about scratches. I grew up with CDs and had plenty that were ruined by a scratch on the film, often from being dropped while in a CD player or accidentally left out.
Optical discs are not a superior form for long term storage by any stretch of the imagination. Most consumer CDs only last 5-20 years. The film can start delaminating if they’re not stored in ideal conditions.
I have CDs that are 30-40 years old and play just fine. CD-Rs may have more issues (though all my 20-year old burned discs still play), but commercial discs can last a long time if you keep them in a case of some kind and don’t leave them in humid conditions. They probably won’t last centuries, but I expect most of my CDs will probably outlive me.
I did specify the film when I talked about scratches. I grew up with CDs and had plenty that were ruined by a scratch on the film, often from being dropped while in a CD player or accidentally left out.
Optical discs are not a superior form for long term storage by any stretch of the imagination. Most consumer CDs only last 5-20 years. The film can start delaminating if they’re not stored in ideal conditions.
I have CDs that are 30-40 years old and play just fine. CD-Rs may have more issues (though all my 20-year old burned discs still play), but commercial discs can last a long time if you keep them in a case of some kind and don’t leave them in humid conditions. They probably won’t last centuries, but I expect most of my CDs will probably outlive me.