[G4] Zip Drives any good?

[Aaron]

>Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2006 16:30:47 -0800 (PST)
>From: Kevin Brocker <blogbrewer at yahoo.com>
>
>Hey you guys,
>
>I've got a G4 quicksilver 800mhz with 1.25 GB SDRAM.
>I recently installed a DVD Burner and a hard drive.
>My machine has another bay available below my DVD and
>it looks like it's for a zip drive.  I have an
>external zip that I use now, but was considering
>putting an iomega 750 megabyte zip in this open slot.
>The problem is that some people have told me zip
>drives are not being used as much anymore.  Is this
>true?
>Personally, I like the zip disks because they are so
>durable, as compared to a CD that scratches and
>cracks.

1) I've heard about and experienced Zip cartridges and drives going bad. When a Zip cartridge does go bad, it's usually hard to recover any data from it. When a CD or DVD get's scratched, you can usually recover most of the data.

I've never had a CD or DVD crack on me.

2) For the cost of a Zip cartridge, you can make 2 CD-R copies, pack them in unbreakable plastic sleeves, and mail one of them to your Aunt Matilda on the other side of the continent for safekeeping. >:-}

>Would it be a good idea to install a zip, or would
>that be doing something that is becoming obsolete?

I understand that the people at iomega think it would be a good idea for you to install a zip drive and buy a bunch of their cartridges. But seriously, IMO the only reasons for having a Zip drive are to read your old Zip cartridges and archive them to another medium, or to read cartridges from another person who has a Zip drive but doesn't have a CD burner and no other means to transfer large files to you. (Presumably, anybody to whom you would be giving files would at least have a CD-ROM reader!)

There may be some other reason to have a Zip drive, but if you had such a reason you'd know it and wouldn't be asking.

Good Night and Happy CD/DVD burning!

 - Aaron