CHEAP PORTABLE TERABYTES Every Word In The Library Of Congress In A $100-$150 DVD Notebook? It's possible. Less than 24 hours ago I bought a couple notebooks at Fry's that hold 200 and 320 CDs and/or DVDs respectively with one of the Project Gutenberg Directors. On the way home he calculated just how much data we will be able to put in these notebooks. Based on a 4.3G standard storage rate, and a 10.25G zipped, with zip operating at about 59% compression you will now be able to carry data as follows: For ~$88: 200 DVDs Standard 200 x 4.3G = .86 Terabytes 200 DVDs Zipped Text 200 x 10.25 = 2.05 Terabytes For ~$140 320 DVDs Standard 320 x 4.3G = 1.376 Terabytes 320 DVDs Zipped Text 320 x 10.25 = 3.28 Terabytes At a cost of two for a dollar, 200 DVDs would cost $100 At a cost of three for a dollar, 200 DVDs would cost $67 At a cost of two for a dollar, 320 DVDs would cost $160 At a cost of three for a dollar, 320 DVDs would cost $107 The actual retail prices we paid is between at $.39 each, or about 2.5 DVDs per dollar. $.39 per DVD $10 for the #200 notebooks $15 for the #320 notebooks $78 for 200 DVDs $125 for 320 DVDs Thus a notebook full of 200 DVDs costs $78 + $10 = $88 Thus a notebook full of 320 DVDs costs $125 + $15 = $140 today, and could probably hold every plain text eBook that will be out from all the various eBook projects combined for who knows just how many years. However, by the time you manage to fill such a notebook you can be sure something will be available that will let you carry two or three times as much just as easily and inexpensively. Michael S. Hart Founder Project Gutenberg