That's right, I still use DVD±RWs for my on-demand storage needs. Sometimes I can't use a flash drive because the target doesn't have any USB ports of all things (like an actual DVD player). Or, too expensive for current needs (getting 5 DVD-RWs totalling about 21 GB is way cheaper than a single 16 GB stick, apparently), and I don't need to shuffle the data too much. It's split across five discs, so there's that, but I guess discs are sometime just cheaper for now.

I actually discovered the joys of viewing photos on the big screen this way. (No TV or devices connected to them here can play from USB. I'm in my other house right now.)

Do you still use recordable optical disc? Why?

P.S. I almost got DVD-RAM, but I decided that I'll deal with more latency for compatibility reasons, and the ability to write an actual disc image

I typically store all my data on external drives or USB flash drives, but really important things also are burned onto a rewritable DVD. Can't have too many layers of protection for your most important data.

CDs are great for having around in the car or quickly getting something on a TV with a DVD player (if you have a computer that doesn't take ten hours to encode it) without digging out a box.

Of course, they're also great for installation media. I always try to burn lots of discs because they're cheap and easy to use.

I haven't burned video DVDs in a while. I just remember it taking forever on my old Core 2 Duo.

As for brands, I try to follow guides like this and avoid the lowest quality discs:
http://www.digitalfaq.com/reviews/dvd-media.htm

Not anymore. Now I just external hard drives and flash drives. I only use recordable optical discs if I want to burn home videos and watch them on TV.