REPOSTING - Wanted CD-ROM Info...

[Brian Bechtel]

In article <388 at ixos.UUCP> snoopy at ixos.UUCP (Snoopy Schmitz) writes:
> I had posted this article before Christmas. Unfortunately our net link 
> broke two days after I went on holiday and hence I have probably 
> missed lots of replies...please be so kind and repost your reply to 
> me if you have sent me one.
> I am very sorry about the hassle this causes. Thank you very much.

This is my reply, now posted instead of mailed.

In article <385 at ixos.UUCP> snoopy at ixos.UUCP (Snoopy Schmitz) writes:
> We have some questions regarding CD-ROMs:
> 
> 1- Who makes CD-ROM mastering software ? Is there any under UNIX ?

I believe that Reteco, a Canadian company, makes CD-ROM premastering 
software that runs under Unix.

> 
> 1a - What format do CD-makers want as input for the mastering of the 
> CD-ROMs ?
> Can I give them a tar/cpio tape and they will make High Sierra out of it?

This will depend upon the pressing plant.  Contact Philips, MPO (Paris), 
or Disctronics (London) for more specific information.  Yes, it IS 
possible to send them such a tape and get ISO 9660 from it; you will 
probably not find anyone very willing to do this, because they won't have 
the appropriate expertise.

Of course, you will pay extra for such services.

> Which are the relevant standards ? Do the de facto standards differ?

ISO 9660 is the international standard.  It's also known as ECMA-119 in 
Europe.  High Sierra is the older, obsolete format used before an 
international standard was agreed upon.

> 
> 2- where can we find a list of *all* currently available CD-ROMS ?
>         (i.e. is there something analogous to "Books in Print" ?)

No.

> 
> 3- A lot of the CD-ROMs come out of the MS-DOS world...consequently
> a lot of files are kept in the ARC format. Is there any PD implementation
> of a program able to understand the .arc files and unpack them under 
> UNIX ?

Yes, comp.sources.unix has had such programs in the past.  Look in the 
standard comp.sources.unix archives.

>  
> 4- Which are good CD-ROM readers ? We have heard the Toshiba one is 
> meant to be the fastest (whatever that means). Is this true ? Can 
> you recommend one ?

Fastest is not a very good word for describing a device with average seek 
time of more than 300 microseconds.  Toshiba, among others, makes a fine 
CD-ROM drive.  There are no particular winners.

> 
> 4a- Are there any CD-ROM jukeboxes ? (We need a SCSI interface for 
> all devices).

Panasonic has announced and is shipping in Japan a 6-CD CD-ROM drive, 
based roughly on their audio CD changer of the same name.  Kodak has a 
multi-disc unit as well, but I don't have any further information about it.

--Brian Bechtel     blob at apple.com     "My opinion, not Apple's"