In article , Laurence Payne
wrote:
On Sun, 24 May 2009 17:36:58 +0100, Jim Lesurf
wrote:

Can I? erm... You may not know what machine I use for most domestic
computing... Hints are that it doesn't run Windows, nor MacOS, nor
Linux (usually), and doesn't have 'IBM PC' type hardware. :-)

No, I don't. Are you an enthusiast for something esoteric or something
retro?

Call that either way you like. :-) For most of my day-to-day computing I
use RISC OS on an Iyonix. I simply find it easier and more convenient for
the tasks I do, in general.

But whatever it is, if it takes a CD/DVD drive at all, what can it use
other than an ATA or SATA unit?

The problem is that most units need specific driver details. Alas, in
general the info isn't available. So a few have been determined to be
workable, but most others, not. Ditto for a range of other types of device.
Afraid accessibility of hardware where the makers only talk to MicroSoft or
Apple about the workings can be difficult at times. Fortunately, enough of
us have got enough items working for this not to be a shutout. But t'aint
as simple as with Windows.

The situation is similar to linux where some hardware doesn't work as it
does with Windows as the makers won't release the driving details and
no-one has (yet) worked them out to do an open driver. The good news is
that the number of programmers using linux is higher, so they can fling
more effort into sorting such problems.

Slainte,

Jim

--
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