MIL-HDBK-9660 Dod Produced Cd-Rom ProductsThis document was prepared by the Defense information Systems Agency DISA, in cooperation with the services and other activities within the Department of Defense DOD. The goal of this document is to provide information and guidelines to support the creation and interoperability of Compact Disc-Read Only Memory CD-ROM development and use within DOD. This document specifies core compact disc fundamentals for the DOD community. It is strongly recommended all DOD components comply with the fundamentals established within this document. Specialized functions within DOD may require expanded internal guidance to meet their own mission needs. All other Government entities are invited to use this document.

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MIL-HDBK-9660B

Although the catalyst for producing CD-ROM products is often cost effective for the producer, end user acceptance/utilization must be given the highest priority when selecting a package.  If the end user does not accept, or cannot effectively utilize, the CD-ROM product, then either the paper product must continue to be produced or the end user no longer has access to the information.

CD-ROM developers/producers should get their prospective end users involved early in the development cycle.  If users feel they have contributed to the development of the product and in the selection of the retrieval engine, they will be more likely to accept the product and continue to work with the producers to perfect the product.

Approaches/methods for developing standards governing the selection and use of authoring/retrieval engines include:

a.  Selecting a single engine or a small set of engines for use;

b.  Compiling a list of minimum capabilities required of any authoring/retrieval system used;

c.  Adopting a data exchange standard.  This approach uses a client-server architecture with a standard messaging format so any compliant user interface can query and obtain data from any other compliant server database (Example: a command could use its own retrieval engine on any CD-ROM disc complying with the standard);

d.  Standardizing on the actual stored data format with like data being represented consistently

(Examples: WordPerfect format, SGML, PDF, RTF);

titles;

e.  De facto standardizing by limiting the number of organizations allowed to produce CD-ROM

f.   Letting CD-ROM use grow on its own.

5.2  Production Guidelines (Recommendations).

5.2.1  Disc Packaging and Mailing.  There are several options available for packaging a CD- ROM disc for distribution.  A choice must be made on both the actual disc container and the packaging/mailing container.

Some of the most popular disc containers include: jewel cases, tyvex sleeves, paper sleeves, disc caddies, and multi-disc trays.  Paper/tyvex sleeves are the lowest cost containers and are often provided free with the purchase of replicated discs.  Jewel cases generally cost 20 to 30 cents each and are

fragile, but provide a good mechanism for marking the packaged disc with needed information (such as title, classification, date).  Disc caddies and multi-disc trays can cost up to a few dollars each.

Some of the most popular packaging/mailing containers include: cardboard disc mailers, padded disc mailers, padded envelopes, bubble wrap within an envelope, and envelopes by themselves.  Cardboard disc mailers and padded disc mailers usually come with a self adhesive securing strip, saving some packaging time and effort, but they only provide slightly better protection then regular envelopes and can cost 45 to 60 cents each.  Bubble wrap and padded envelopes provide good protection for discs (especially when jewel cases are used), but they can cost over a dollar apiece.

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