Posted by NRen2k5 on 11/16/18 11:40

testing_h@yahoo.com wrote:
> Hi all.
>
> As many people know, CD's have a limited life, the typical failure mode
> being the aluminium layer developing "pinholes".

No, actually. A factory pressed CD ought to last a long time, certainly
longer than any CD-R.

> The problem is that most sensible people back up their valuable disks
> to CDR in case the original gets damaged. Legally (ignoring the RIAA's
> protests) you are allowed to make a single backup copy in the original
> format as long as you have purchased the disk.

Actually, by the letter of the law, in the U.S.A. you're only allowed to
make copies to certain media with certain devices - such as to cassette
with a tape deck. Modern interpretation of copyright law is that any
copy you make for youself and only for yourself is "fair use".

> So, what happens if that original disk becomes unreadable?
>
> Is ownership of the original (unuseable) disk enough to stay within the
> law, or does the copied digital content become illegal the moment the
> disk is unreadable?

Whether or not the original is readable doesn't matter. What matters is
that you bought it and that you have proof that you bought it.

- NRen2k5

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