Which Type of CD to use...
 

Which type of CD should I use (CD-R, CD-RW) to burn LiveCDs & Install CDs to? I thank you in advance!

Makes no difference as long as they are big enough, the CD-RW will allow you to re-write to that disk if you want to try another distro :)

This is, of course, not a Linux question, but....I have always understood that CDRW was less durable than CDR. Further, erasing takes time. To me, CDs are so cheap that I use only CDR for everything.

Aye they are cheap enough but once they've been used they are just another drinks coaster whereas a CDRW can be used again and again, I know its a small thing but they are all made of plastic and every bit of plastic not used is a small contribution to staving off global warming:rolleyes:

Biggest scam since Eugenics.

I have heard that you can't actually write/rewrite the entire 700 MB to a CD-RW. Anybody know if that's true?

Go tell that to the fishermen in Greenland or watch the ice shelf disappear in Antarctica.
I'm kinda disappointed that a linux user should dismiss something out of hand.

Good point---Perhaps the rule should be to use CDRW for anything that does not need to be archival.

For the global-warming naysayer: I'm afraid you are on thin ice (apt metaphor--n'est-ce pas?) Prevailing scientific thought says it is real--the only question is predicting the rate. The only real objections seem to be from those whose economic interests are threatened by the corrective actions.

I'm not going to get into a political debate on this thread (or this forum), but the prevailing belief that theoretical global warming is backed by science is a sucker ploy brought to you by lobbyists and governments desperate to divert public attention from real problems.

The eugenics/global warming analogy is not mine. It belongs to Michael Crichton, author of such hard science based novels as The Andromeda Strain, Jurassic Park, and Sphere. It is the background subject of his newest novel, State of Fear. You can read an essay from the book comparing eugenics and global warming here. If you're willing to face the truth of the issue, you'll probably enjoy the book. It's a typically Crichton, fast paced, riveting, political thriller. (Properly footnoted with scientific sources, unlike the screaming headlines so easily absorbed by a mob mentality.)

Edit I really would like to know whether or not there is any truth to the hearsay that CD-RWs can not hold a full 700 MB either on the original write or subsequent ones.

Folks -- please stay on topic. Global warming is an important topic, but it has NOTHING to do with the OP's question.

CD-RW's in my experience are better if you only need the data for a one-time or limited time use. CD-R's are better if you plan to save the CD's for a prolonged duration. Of course, CD-R's can only be written once; CD-RW's can be written and erased multiple times (although there is a limit on how many cycles they'll be good for)

one thing that hasnt been brought up is what the cd drive is capable of. Some will not use cd-rw so it is best to just stay with cd-r. However most newer drives support both. For boot discs i perfer to use cdr because i like to keep them around as opposed to erasing them all the time.