CD-ROM stands for Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (Compact Read-Only Memory Disk), an electronic component that stores information, in a compact format, that can only be read but not written down by the user..
As a rule, the contents and information contained in the CD-ROMs are already recorded by the manufacturers, or that is, the user will not be able to perform any type of recording or editing of the material inserted in the CD-ROM.
The CD-ROM was created in 1985, along with the invention of the Compact Disc (CD), precisely for the purpose of storing a large amount of information in a compact space. The ROM nomenclature comes from Memory ROM, that is, memory flash or instant. This invention has been patented by the Sony and Philips electronics brands.
Any type of data can be stored on the CD-ROM, from text files, photos, videos or music.
There are two main categories of CD-ROM's: the CD-RW (Compact Disc ReWritable, or "Rewritable Compact Disc", in Portuguese), which allows the user to record several data on the CD and in more than once, working as if it were a pen-drive; and the
CD-R (Compact Disc Recordable, or "Recordable Compact Disc", in Portuguese), which allows the user to record contents on the CD, however the recording is permanent and cannot be rewritten, as with the CD-RW.See also:
- DVD