using Sharpies on blank DVD's/CD's

Is it OK to use Sharpies to write on blank CD's and DVD's? Some say yes, but some say no. Sharpies are alcohol based marker and some people say they can ruin the CD/DVD over time. Is this true?

 

I always use a sharpie. I've got CD's that are years old and not hurt. Having said that, I've also read some material that offers valid arguement against it. I never write on back-up CD's with anything. period. There is valid arguement pro and con.

 

So, you're saying you used to use sharpies all the time, but now you don't write anything on your cd's?

Is there any argument that a water based marker is bad for CD's or DVD's?

 

No, What I meant to say is that on copies of music etc I'll use a sharpie. I do not write on any CD that I use to back-up my computer, I write on the cover I keep them in. I do know that water based markers are harmless, they also rub off very easily in my experience. I personally think that a CD will break down from use (scratches, etc) a long, long time before the alcohol in a sharpie does any damage. Also, keep in mind that you must use minimum pressure when writing with anything on a CD. It is actually soft material and can be damaged that way also!!

 

(I THINK IT DOES NO HARM) Stuff I have from 1999 is still good to ths day........and sharpie ink is all over some of them -- but it probably depends upon what kind of cd-r's your using as well. small labels are an excellent choice, just write on them with a pen or what ever and then stick it on.

 

but make sure it doesn't come off. many cheap cdr's use a thin film on the back of the cd as the recording surface, so if the sticker comes off, so does the recorded area. i quickly labeled something with a sticky note once as a temp solution before i can find a sharpie, but when i took the sticky note off, a good chunk of the data came off with it

 

As long as you don't write on the data side, like my step dad who went to show someone some photos off a CD... took it to me and said "whats wrong with this?" "err, you wrote on the wrong side... and magic marker isnt going to come off easy"

As strogg says, I've seen some cheaper CD-Rs which don't sandwich the recording layer, so you wanna be careful bout that.