The CONTENT of the CD or CDRom is what you're paying for, not the medium on which it is presented. Okay, downloads should be cheaper because there are no production costs involved, but there's still a website and banking element to pay for. However, the difference in production costs between glass mastered and CDRom is fairly minimal - it's the quantity that costs, which is merely initial outlay that is eventually recovered.

CDroms duplicated on a PC are no different from 'professionally produced' ones, as CDRom duplicators use a bank of CD burners in much the same way as a PC.

The big difference is in the quality, and therefore longevity, of the media.

As has been commented by others above, I, too, have had CDRoms for years without problems, and 'glass mastered' CDs which have failed. Some of this is down to how they are stored (CDRoms don't like sunlight), and all CDs are prone to scratch damage.

What I do not like is CDRoms with stick-on labels. If the label bubbles, it can cause the substrate (recordable surface) to lift, rendering the CDRom useless. Well, only useful as a bird scarer or clock face!

No, I do not think performers are 'ripping off' their public - but yes, they should include contact information in case of problems.

Some CD players will not play CDRoms, but they are becoming very few, as more and more CD players will play MP3 CDs...