CD shredders, was Re: thoughts on one time pads

[Dave Korn]

Travis H. wrote:
> On 1/28/06, dan at geer.org <dan at geer.org> wrote:
>> In our office, we have a shredder that happily
>> takes CDs and is designed to do so.  It is noisy
>> and cost >$500.
>
> Here's one for $40, although it doesn't appear to "shred" them so much
> as make them pitted:
>
> http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/security/6d7f/

  The review doesn't exactly inspire confidence.  They say the disk is 
"pitted"?  Isn't that just another way of saying that the machine does only 
minor surface damage to the protective plastic coating, and doesn't harm the 
fine metallic layer in the center of the disc where the actual information 
is?  And in that case, shouldn't you be able to recover the data with one of 
those cheap CD-polish-and-repair kits?

  I can't the point of paying for a machine that damages the disk _less_ 
than you could do by snapping it in half with your bare hands.  That seems 
to me to be a very major false economy: a shredder that doesn't shred is 
just /not/ an improvement on one that does, no matter *how* much cheaper it 
is.


    cheers,
      DaveK
-- 
Can't think of a witty .sigline today.... 




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