[LINK] MS Windows and CD formats

David Lochrin dlochrin at d2.net.au
Wed Sep 24 12:34:14 AEST 2008


   This semester I have encountered problems reading students' submissions handed in on CDs for the first time.

   The problem seems to be that Microsoft Vista ~by default~ writes CDs and DVDs in one of two proprietary formats known only to Vista and XP.  Standard ISO-9660 simply isn't available.  It's all explained at http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/b47eb51a-ea6d-4d97-97b0-2d07a59316981033.mspx

   Typical Microsoft - ignore the standards, just assume everyone has a Windows system running XP or later and runs their whole life around it.  From their FAQ, for example:

|  How do I make a music or a video disc that will work in a CD or DVD player?
|
| Use a music or video burning program to make playable discs. If you use Windows to copy music files to a disc, for example, they will be copied as files and will not play in most CD players.

   The arrogance of this company is scarcely credible.

   I suspect there may be a problem with memory sticks too, but haven't gone into it.

David




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