Labeling CDs

Blank discs -- blank on top, not in the data recording area -- are not exactly useless but they can certainly be inconvenient. If you have ever searched through a collection of discs that have not been labeled, looking for one particular disc, or even trying to decide what data is on each of them, and haven't kept them with some external identifying mechanism, such as a labeled jewel box, you understand completely why labeling has become an issue of much discussion among users.

This article does not review any specific products. Rather, it examines the various labeling methods available today in a general way. For product reviews please see the Burning Issues publication for CD-R users in our other website.

While the usefulness of labels is very obvious, there are some valid concerns over the methods used. We will review the options, and discuss the pros and cons of each. There are presently five methods used to label CDs and CD-Rs:

	paper labels updated 8/7/97
	marking pens
	ink-jet printers updated 7/24/97
	wax-transfer printers
	silkscreening

The concerns over each of these methods range from questions over the long-term effects on the media, cost, convenience and economy of use.

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