Labeling Discs

[Evil Twin]

Any pros and cons on labeling discs (both vcd and dvd-r) with adhesive style labels?

Same qustion with using a Sharpie style permanent marker?

Thanks in advance for your time and replies.

[Tommyknocker]

I label my VCDs with no problem, however, I hear about all kinds of bad reports from people who ruined a perfectly good DVD by attaching a label.

[YngwieJM]

I've heard it causes extra wear and tear on your drives. The fact that it will never be put exactly on straight means that there will be a little wobble while it's spinning and this will crap your drive out sooner or later. The Sharpie is fine though.

[sterno]

I've heard a few horror stories from people who bought cheap CD labels and had them come off in the drive because the adhesive broke down when it got hot.

It's also best to only write on the CDs that have a top coat of some sort, there are some blank generic CDs where you'd be writing directly on the reflective layer and some permanent marker inks will slowly react with the layer, or gradually bleed through and react with the dye. On CDs that don't have any obvious top coat I always write on the center hub.