Put a magnet beside a 100meg zip disc and you may wipe out anything you have on it. Put a magnet beside a CD and it won't do anything. I have the zip drive and I don't trust it enough as a back up. Heck, even a subway ride can wipe out those discs, (any strong enough magnetic field can erase!). You can buy your own CD burner, (be prepared for lots of learning, and lots of frisbees as it's not always easy to get the hang of making good readable CD's.), or make good friends with someone that will back up all your stuff on a CD whenever you end up with 650 megs worth, (and by them a pack of CD's as payment for they're time). I know several people that have CD burners and they all have there collection of frisbees from when they first started. Also, a word of note: CD burners wear out after time, so be prepared to replace it every so many burns. The more you use it, the more wear and tear. I don't have one myself, but I have picked up this knowledge from all the Tom, Dick and Harry's around me that seem to have one. Hope this helps?? Radart.