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Improvements in PC hardware have transformed marketers' abilities. One of the more interesting developments is the appearance of CD-ROM drives in PCs. CD-ROMs can store 600 Megabytes of data and can allow access to vast databases. Perhaps the premier example for marketers is the Department of Commerce Census Bureau data series. While many computer CD-ROMs on the market are game disks, the immense data storage capacity of CD-ROMs has spawned numerous examples created for business. The Meckler Corporation of Westport, Connecticut tracks CD-ROM publications, and lists over 500 of interest to business. In addition, authoring systems allow companies to create their own CDs. It is now possible to put catalogs, technical specifications, parts descriptions and other proprietary information on a CD. To access this information, one needs a CD-ROM drive.
Multiple vendors offer CD-ROM drives. Manufacturers such as NEC and Panasonic sell drives for installation internally in one of the computer drive bays or externally in a special case. The external type still requires physical installation of a card on the computer motherboard. Multimedia kits are also available from several third-party companies. They include a sound card which also requires installation. After the hardware is connected, special software also must be installed. If this description sounds a bit daunting, there is an alternative. The Backpack CD-ROM Dvive from MicroSolutions offers easy hardware and software installation. Like other parallel devices, it boasts a parallel port data connection and its own power supply. You plug the cable into the printer port and avoid having to open the computer case to install a controller card. One must sacrifice a little speed, since the parallel port offers less throughput than...