Date: October 5, 2004

Presenter: Brian Hoppe

Topic: CD Burning on the Mac

Meeting Summary:

Most Macs, these days, come with a drive that will not only read CD-ROMs, but will let you create them as well. The MacOS even includes its own built-in CD-burning utility, and has since OS 9.

But just what is involved in creating your own CDs?

Writing your own CDs (both data CDs of various formats and Audio CDs) is called "burning", from the fact that it's done with a laser beam (shades of Buck Rogers and the Grey Lensman!).

At the October meeting, OMUG member Brian Hoppe took a look not only at the different kinds and formats of CDs, but also at the various software available from Apple and third-party vendors to create them.

As we have come to expect from Brian, he provided us with a most informative and interesting presentation. He discussed the technology and history behind creating your own data and music CD's, and discussed three of the available software packages offered for this purpose. In addition to the built-in CD Burner software of the Mac OS (version 9 or higher), he showed us the comparative features of Toast (from Roxio) and MacBurn (from macXware, an Omaha-based company).

Although (as is tradional at OMUG meetings) the discussion did wander from the topic occasionally, I think everyone there left with a much better grasp of the means, methods and reasons for burning CD media on the Mac....

Links to presentation files, etc.:

Other references and links:

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