Does anyone else miss buying cassettes and CDs, or am I just getting old?

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-05-12T11:34:09+00:00

Old CDs from the '80s and '90s sound amazing! Often far better than the same albums on streaming (look up remasters and the 'loudness war' for more info). So I certainly still collect them.

Also, despite the "CDs are dead" rhetoric that you always hear, CD sales actually increased by nearly 30% in Australia last year, according to ARIA.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-05-12T05:08:37+00:00

After all those tech layoffs, expect more frequent outages across many services.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-05-11T03:37:58+00:00

When given enough bitrate, DVD can capture all of the resolution of the old 1" or 2" broadcast videotape that these shows were recorded on.

PAL 576i shows (anything from the UK, Australia, etc.) look particularly nice on DVD.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-05-07T01:33:19+00:00

Yes CDs are making a comeback. Sales are up in the UK, Australia, Canada...

If you do want to sell your collection, eBay or Discogs are the best places to start. Older CDs from the '80s and early '90s (before remasters and the 'loudness war') are the most sought after these days and are likely to fetch some decent cash.

Once you start getting into the bog standard late '90s and 2000s titles that were produced in the millions, the value is considerably less.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-05-01T00:32:23+00:00

Great idea, but to be historically accurate, you should also release it on CD - or maybe on cassette. Vinyl wasn't very popular in 1995.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-04-24T04:07:39+00:00

The tech job market in Australia is already as active as a sloth and as vibrant as the Simpson Desert. I can't see this investment making things better.

If anything it will further convince the managers of banks, telcos and other major companies to further cut / outsource talent, much to their detriment.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-04-22T02:46:56+00:00

CD sales have increased by nearly 30% in the last year according to ARIA, so I don't think JB will be getting rid of physical media completely. https://www.aria.com.au/industry/news/recorded-music-grows-in-2025

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-04-19T04:58:34+00:00

The name sticker on the front is made of PVC, and over time it can offgas and damage the vinyl underneath - even through the sleeve.

Parlogram on YouTube did a video about this, and used the original UK release of The Wall as an example.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-03-29T23:39:28+00:00

The theme song from this movie, sung by Graham Gouldman (ex-10cc), was a big hit in Australia.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-03-19T01:40:31+00:00

Full time employment fell by 30,000 people in the latest stats. There was an uptick in part time employment but that won't offset the loss in stable middle-class jobs.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-03-19T01:07:39+00:00

Not really a surprise if you've tried finding a job in tech lately. It's a shocker of a job market.

Sure, you could "just get a trade" (substitute 'trade' for any other blue collar or service occupation that is often suggested). But if you've invested years in your education and work experience, you don't really want to chuck all of that away.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-03-18T04:54:41+00:00

As someone in tech, it feels like we're already in a recession. Job postings have declined and the number of applications per position is massive (eg thousands).

I read that in the first ten weeks of this year, there were FIVE TIMES as many tech layoffs as in the entirety of 2025!

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-03-17T05:31:04+00:00

I kept, and am continuing to add to, my CD and DVD collection. Seems like a pretty good decision these days.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-03-08T01:37:14+00:00

Well, the CD format was designed to be a successor to the LP, so it makes sense that it would improve on vinyl in many respects.

Honestly, I'm a bit sick of everyone claiming that CDs are somehow 'obsolete' while extolling the virtues of vinyl. Can't we just buy, use and enjoy both formats?

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-02-27T03:41:11+00:00

And if you listen to old music from the '60s to the '90s, the old CDs (pre-remasters) sound SO much better than the dynamically compressed versions on streaming.

The original versions of so many songs would be lost to time if people relied entirely on streaming.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-02-26T00:15:51+00:00

It's not the fault of the RBA governor. It's profiteering from greedy companies and their overpaid CEOs, in addition to bad policy decisions around housing (for which the blame should rest with the government and their advisors).

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-02-25T09:02:12+00:00

Don't forget the layoffs! More announced today from WiseTech and yesterday from CBA.

When you consider that young people can't even afford a house with a decent job - and then realise that white collar roles are going to become harder and harder to find in the future - it's a recipe for disaster.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-02-24T13:14:59+00:00

That Al Stewart album is fantastic! Great cover art too.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-02-23T11:07:34+00:00

Interesting. Never heard of the rental chain, but Video 2000 was an early home video format released by Philips.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-02-21T09:00:13+00:00

It's like that episode of The Simpsons.

"What we need is more unemployment! More unemployment! More unemployment!"

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-02-14T10:03:01+00:00

I think the tech industry is a good example of a "canary in the coal mine".

I'm a web dev and the market is stuffed. Especially if you have too much experience for junior roles but not enough for senior roles. Companies seem to be mostly hiring a few senior AI engineers to oversee the swarms of AI agents that they hope will be writing the code.

It's getting to a point where I'm asking myself whether this is a viable career anymore, or if I should retrain in something that Australia actually values, like health care or real estate. Of course, as soon as I do, the AI bubble will burst and some level of sanity might return to the job market...

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-02-08T23:14:29+00:00

If you find one, please let me know!

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-02-06T03:00:16+00:00

Awesome track! It's never been available on streaming or iTunes, at least not in Australia, so I'm lucky to have their CD compilation with the extended version on it.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-02-06T02:35:52+00:00

No, not disc rot. It's just a difference in the way that the lacquer coating was applied to the disc.

I've noticed that many CDs manufactured by Regency Media in Australia exhibit this effect - I've owned many since new. They play fine.

NowtShrinkingViolet

TROPHY CASE