Databases on CD-ROM :

Information technology allows accessing patent data in text and picture form on CD-ROM. CD-ROM databases are very convenient for documentary searches. Users need no outside connections, and can work with simply a CD-ROM driver plus a computer.

CD-ROM databases, however, have some drawbacks. One problem is with their updating. As on-line databases can be easily updated on a regular basis, the information on CD-ROM rapidly becomes out of date, at least for certain types of analysis. It is also a problem to easily use CD-ROM databases to compile statistical series; hence, they are not yet suitable for statistical applications.