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Remember liner notes? It used to be you could read the copy, so artists tried to actually communicate on the album cover. The quality of information provided on your typical CD packaging is abysmal.
Last week's Soapbox inspired this week's question: Which do you prefer
Jewel boxes are a pathetic design, with those weak-ass hinges and unnecessary third piece in the back tray. But the argument for paper is even more stupid. Better for the environment? Who is THROWING AWAY their CDs? This medium lasts practically forever, as should its case. If you're worried about the environment, try keeping your CDs in their cases.
What is required is a tougher variant on the jewel box. If the strength of the plastic could be increased to prevent cracking, that would be very useful. (There is a material that is used to protect glass from fragmenting during explosions that would work well, if the price is within reason. It is an adhesive film, and a thinner version may work well if the manufacturer could be induced to see jewel boxes as an alternate bulk market.) The joints also need improvement. Finally, better packaging helps to sell more of the legitimate product.
The CD should have been designed to retain the disc in the carrier, with a sliding aperture opening allowing the laser access to the disc. This method would not require the disc to be taken out of the case. A few early CD-ROM drives used this method.
Jewel boxes offer the ultimate protection for the disc and booklet. If they get scratched or damaged they can be replaced for 50 cents, and you now have what looks like a NEW CD; try doing that with any of the other types of packaging. By the way, the lift-lock jewel boxes are the best, as they have no stress on the removal of a CD. I also like the new jewel boxes with the clear trays, as art work can be put under the tray. This looks really cool!
The jewel box, although the best of the commonly available options, is still lamethose little hinge arms break off. I think it must have been designed by the person who designed those little stainless-steel teapots that you get in restaurants in North Americathe ones that are designed to cool as efficiently as possible and to ensure that most of the tea ends up dribbling onto the table.
Some kind of foam that is lightweight, yet effectively protects the CD during shipping. Hate paying the excessive air-mail charges if I'm ordering from an overseas site (I live in Singapore)and the heaviest stuff is the jewel box!
I like the new cardboard sleeves. They are less likely to break; however, you can't rest a coffee cup on them. Most important, they take up less real estate, thus creating the illusion that I have fewer CDs than I actually do.