Does the PC in your home office have a CD-R or a CD-RW? If not, I can tell you a few good reasons to get one.

A CD-RW lets you economically back up your PC's critical data. If you're musically inclined, you can burn custom made music CDs with just the cuts you like. And for storing photos, man, nothing beats CDs.

Okay, I have to tell you that even though I write about this stuff, I sometime have to grab a refresher. Andy Brandt put together a rundown in his " How It Works: CD-R, CD-RW." Don't be fooled by the age of the story--the fundamentals are rock solid. Plus there are links to three Web sites with CD FAQs and CD drive-speed testing software.

Dig this: Does the price of gas have you down? Cheer up, Sparky, it could be worse. (And at Tom's Shell station, it apparently is . . .)

Shop While They Drop

Prices on CD-Rewritable drives are dropping about as fast as dot coms are failing. We look over the best for you in the latest " Top 5 CD-RWs."

Want more CD-RW reviews? Sure, that's easy. We have a list of top-rated products for you to check out, along with a nifty chart comparing features.

If you're lucky, your stockpile of CD-R discs will hold you through the next few months. Because the news ain't good: Disc prices are skyrocketing. We have the story, along with a tip to make Roxio's CD Creator 5 coexist with Windows 2000. Read it in " CD-R Media Prices to Triple This Summer."

Now for Some Software

On the software front, there are a few ways to go. In " SimpliCD: No-Hassle CD-Burning Software," we talk about a $50 tool that's great for novices.

On the other hand, for $100, Roxio's Easy CD Creator has added features: Spin Doctor for transferring LPs to CDs, and the ability to encode MP3s. You can get the fine points in " A Software Smorgasbord."

CD Burn Tip: You can make all your CD writing experiences better by reading Kirk Steers's nine terrific tips: " Remove Your (CD) Writer's Block."

Dig this: Think you have trouble remembering your password? Imagine getting this Microsoft Windows 2000 error message: "Your Password Must Be at Least 18770 Characters and Cannot Repeat Any of Your Previous 30689 Passwords." It's a real error, kids, check it out.

And a Few Big Buck Items

You might have a few bucks available (about $995 of 'em) for a hot-off-the-assembly-line gizmo. Pioneer's DVR-A03 is a DVD-R/CD-RW burner that seems to do everything you'll ever need for music, storage, and impressing your friends. Our Jon L. Jacobi gets his hands on this puppy and tells you what he thinks in " Breakthrough Combo Drive Burns DVDs More Affordably."

And if you're on the road and just can't stop burring CDs, take along a Sony Digital Relay CRX10U-A2. It records CD-R and CD-RW, and plays CD-ROMs and CDs of MP3s. Check out the details.

Sign up to have Steve Bass's Home Office Newsletter e-mailed to you each week.

• See more like this:
• CD-R,
• CD-RW,
• optical storage,
• storage,
• burn,
• CD,
• CD-ROM ,
• Steve Bass's Home Office Newsletter,
• Steve Bass,
• home office