CD-ROM

An optical storage technology that stores and plays back data. "Read only" means the information on the disc may be capable of being displayed or used but not deleted. CD-ROMs are commonly used for encyclopedias, dictionaries, and software libraries, and they are also used for multimedia applications. One CD-ROM can hold around 650 megabytes, or the equivalent of 700 floppy disks.

CD-ROMs were a favorite medium for installing programs, since they cost only slightly more to manufacture than floppy disks and most major software applications would require at least five floppies, and computers started including CD-ROM drives in 1989. 

For a walk down memory lane and a look at a CD-ROM from the year 2000, click on the link below!