Is linux plug n play?
 

I'm about to add a new CD-ROM to my system which already has mandrake 10.0 installed, was wondering if the system is clever enough to detect it or wille i need to do anything like reinstalling the kernel cos of the new hardware?

You should be fine.
There are no drivers/modules needed to access that drive.
You never will need drivers for a drive - unless you get a SCSI/RAID device.
Plug it in, and go.

Linux is not really Plug-n-Play - but for this one, yes, it should be.

hi there

you are right that this cd rom does not require any drivers but,going little further in case of a CD writer which is not scsi device then too it requires SCSI emulation from the kernel
so look out for that

regards
gaurav