original template by Ray Lam, Fall 97

web page by Daniella Priebatsch Spring 98

WHERE: Japan

WHEN: 1979

Nina Resor

11/18/97 The Compact Disc

The compact disc, also called the C.D., is a flat round platter that stores information in the form of a digital code. They are mainly used for holding music that has been recorded, but computer information can be stored on a certain kind. They are about four and a half inches in diameter, and hold up to 74 minutes of recorded sound or up to 250,000 pages of text. In 1987, manufacturers introduced a disc that is 3 inches across and holds twenty minutes of sound. Compact discs are made of plastic with a reflective metal coating. To protect the coded sound from damage, there is also a transparent layer of plastic.

The compact disc was invented by two Japanese scientists; Joop Sinjou, and Toshi Tada Doi. They invented it in Japan in 1979, but it was introduced to the United States in 1983, by Sony. It quickly became popular, because of its many advantages. These advantages include convenient size, better sound than tapes, and longer lives.

The C.D. has changed the music and computer industries very much over the years. People now can copy many various documents onto one C.D., instead of using three or four regular discs. The change in the music industry was even more drastic. C.D.s allow people to skip around to different songs without having to rewind or fast forward, thus making things much easier.

Puff Daddy, The Notorious

BIG,

3rd Eye Blind.

In 1978

these were only available

on tapes.

Stop, Rewind, Fast-forward,

stop again, play.

But in 1979

two Japanese

Geniuses

created

The C.D

Skip from this song,

to this song,

and back to that song.

As the shiny flat disc

silently spins.

-Nina Resor