It seems like a natural, a no brainer. People have been playing audio CDs in their CD-ROM drives for years. Why not add some digital photos, lyric sheets and credits in computer data format? And while they're at it, couldn't they put in a clip of the band's newest music video? And maybe an interview with the lead singer, and maybe MIDI files of all the songs, and concert dates, and internet connectivity software and, and... Now hold on just a minute, it's not that easy. Exactly what format will be used and how will your CD audio player know which data to play and which to ignore? What about cross-platform compatibility?
The launching of Windows 95 marks the beginning of the standardization of enhanced CD formats. The new standard is called CD Plus and has been adopted widely in the recording and computer industries. You'll soon be buying audio CDs that double as software. Industry experts are predicting that the line between CD audio and CD-ROM products will continue to blur. In five years it might be as hard to find a CD audio-only disc as it is to find a vinyl record album today.
