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Two other points to keep in mind: 1. CD-ROMs tend to be at least somewhat platform dependent, with a dependence either upon a specific operating system (e.g., Windows) or a specific programming environment (e.g., Java). It's quite easy to make an on-line resource platform independent. 2. Subscription prices. When your price structure is so high that a physical copy of your product is about the same price as a yearly subscription, the cost benefit analysis doesn't come out in favor of the online version. If a librarian is looking at a $500 per year subscription that allows only one user access to a resource, versus a $500 per volume cost for a print edition, unless the updates are very, very compelling, that librarian is going to by the print volume (which will last much longer). In the end, I think the CD-ROM may be a slightly MORE stable medium for the librarian who must pay for the resource: when the subscription runs out at the end of the year, the resource is effectively de-accessioned. A CD-ROM will usually last at least 10 years (in my experience), if it's stamped (not burned).