Re: IDE CD-ROMs

[jwt@example.com (Jim Tittsler)]

Gee.  More reaction than I had expected.

>The Slacware setup program had options for 3 IDE CD-ROMs, 2 Sony, and a 
>Mitsumi, none worked with my Reveal (NEC) cd-rom,

Are you sure you aren't confusing IDE (ATAPI) and proprietary 
interfaces?  The standard IDE driver in Linux supports ATAPI CD-ROM
drives (based on conditional compilation).  I have installed Slackware
from ATAPI drives.  (Make sure you have a recent MAKEDEV in your /dev
directory.  Some early Slackware distributions had the wrong device
numbers for the secondary IDE ports (drives hdc and hdd).  This is
explained in the IDE README in /usr/src/linux/drivers/block)
ATAPI CD-ROM drives are available from NEC, Sony, Chinon, Creative
Technology, Wearnes, Aztech, MKE, Mitsumi, and doubtlessly others.

>have you ever looked into the IDE EIDE ATAPI mess?
Sure.  I am part of the standards process, so I've examined it in
fair detail.  But I've also designed a SCSI CD-ROM.  Both have warts.

>Linux content: If SCSI is "definitely out-dated" why are the Linux mailing 
>lists and FAQ's overloaded with SCSI questions?

Because as Steve pointed out, people don't implement it in a consistent
way?  :-)

>  Is Linux using "out-dated" technology?

Yes, as the famous exchange between Linus and Tannebaum (sp?) explained. :-)

Jim