[[!comment format=mdwn
 username="https://launchpad.net/~stephane-gourichon-lpad"
 nickname="stephane-gourichon-lpad"
 avatar="http://cdn.libravatar.org/avatar/02d4a0af59175f9123720b4481d55a769ba954e20f6dd9b2792217d9fa0c6089"
 subject="Not a priority in itself, still feels like a missing piece."
 date="2016-10-26T12:29:50Z"
 content="""
> I have a large number of files that are accessed infrequently and stored off-line on DVD-Rs. I need to keep track of which files are on which disc so that when I want a file I can find it.
> (...)
> 4) Easily incorporate the current DVD-Rs into the new system

This last item would make `git-annex` suitable to catalog existing WORM media.

In the past I have used some programs but was never satisfied with their graphical-UI-first approach or closed format.  For example: gtktalog, cdcat, cdcollect, where is it, virtual volume view, gnome catalog, basenji.  Ref: https://alternativeto.net/software/cdcollect/?platform=linux . 

I also used at some point a plain old `find|{stat;md5}|gzip > ~/catalogs/my_volume_id.gz` then `grep mystring ~/catalogs/*gz` which, at the end of the day, has an overall good cost/benefit ratio.

IMHO git-annex has a sane foundation and the potential to do better than those tools.

Technically this looks indeed similar to a web special remote, but needs to accommodate for arbitrary mount point and keep count of copies.

To be honest, the DVD use case is not a priority for me at the moment, but it feels like a missing piece in an otherwise good puzzle.  As if handling this case nicely would actually benefit other, more modern use cases.

"""]]
