The principles of optical disc technology are presented in this paper, with particular reference to write-once digital discs. The basic categories of recording medium are first compared, the optical disc recording process is then analyzed, and methods for error detection and correction are briefly outlined. The organization of an optical disc drive is then considered, and the functional parts of the optical head are presented. After briefly mentioning the historical background, from the first video disc system demonstrated in 1927 to the important developments of the past few years, information concerning vendors and currently available products is summarized in table form. The utilization of an optical disc as an online mass storage device is considered, and problems connected with integration with the operating system and support to databases are summarized. A comparison is made of the properties of five storage devices (main computer memory, magnetic disk, magnetic tape, micro form, and optical disc), with respect to two important applications: archival storage in mainframe system environments and database management systems. The merit of each device with respect to each property is rated, and weighted according to the importance of that property for the specific application. A summary of the market trends concludes the paper.

The presentation of the optical recording process lacks an in-depth consideration of the theoretical aspects of optical data storage. The software issues are enumerated, rather than analyzed. The comparison of the various storage devices is based on common sense, rather than on thorough performance evaluation. Consequently, this paper is not of great help for the specialist. As an introductory survey, it may, however, be useful reading for the general user of information systems. With little effort, he can gain an idea of the state-of-the-art, the possible applications, the market, and the future developments of an emerging technology. Unfortunately, the paper supplies no references for further reading.