I know of this program that would turn the data you want into UDF(something like that) packets, making it so a CD-RW disc would behave like a floppy, but I can’t recall what it’s called.
What’s this program called(assuming it’s unique)?
It’s usually bundled with must major market burning programs and is called “packet writing software”. Roxio’s is called “Direct CD” and Nero’s is called “InCD”.
Are there any open-source packet writers?
You’re probably thinking of packet-writing software like Roxio’s (formerly Adaptec) DirectCD or Nero’s InCD. They’re usually bundled with the respective burning program, Roxio EasyCd Creator or Nero Burning ROM.
UDF is the established file system for CDRW. Packet-writing allows you to write directly to a CDRW (drag and drop files, etc.)
However, if your CDRW or DVD+RW drive and OS support the Mount Rainier specification, you don’t need software.
Mount Rainier FAQ
Are Nero’s InCD and Roxio’s DirectCD compatible?
No, they tend to butt heads as they are looking for the same hardware resources. Typically you only want one PW utility active at a given time. You often have to un-install one before the other will install.
Figures.
But, could a CD formatted with one be read by a machine running the other?
The Mount Rainier (CD-MRW) standard allows a CD-RW to act like a floppy disk, without the need for any drivers or compatibility issues. It DOES require a supported CD-RW drive, but most drives made recently support it natively.
exactly what do you people mean by “behave like a floppy” ?
i have had a CD-RW for years, and now have a DVD+RW, i also used both Roxio and Nero and i have no clue what you’re talking about 
Packet writing allows you to put a CD-RW in the drive, format it, and use it in the same manner as you would use a floppy disk. Specifically, you can create, copy, move, rename, and delete files on the CD-RW as if it were a standard removable drive.
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- I have Nero/InCD, it works as far as it goes. There are a couple good reasons to avoid packet-writers, however: one is that they waste space. You only get about 450 megs on a CD in packet-mode, where usual modes get you 650 megs. The second reason is that packet-writing has to be “opened”, written to or erased from, and then “closed” every time it is done (changed at all). If you happen to have a computer glitch while a CD is being written to and you have to reboot, you might not be able to recover the data on that disk at all (because it wasn’t closed the last time it was written to). For these reasons, most places that do lots of CD storage do not use packet-mode writing. Regular CD’s just aren’t built to do it well.
…however…
- I have Nero/InCD, it works as far as it goes. There are a couple good reasons to avoid packet-writers, however: one is that they waste space. You only get about 450 megs on a CD in packet-mode, where usual modes get you 650 megs. The second reason is that packet-writing has to be “opened”, written to or erased from, and then “closed” every time it is done (changed at all). If you happen to have a computer glitch while a CD is being written to and you have to reboot, you might not be able to recover the data on that disk at all (because it wasn’t closed the last time it was written to). For these reasons, most places that do lots of CD storage do not use packet-mode writing. Regular CD’s just aren’t built to do it well.
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- You can usually download free reading software so that a packet-written CD can be read by any other computer with a regular CD drive, without needing the same packet-writing software.
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Can’t remember the name of it but an aquaintance has a super CD-R app that treats CD-R’s (NOT RW’s) as floppy’s. - format then use explorer to drag & drop. can be left open ended so more files can be added at a later session but untill closed can only be read by same software. After closure works as a standard CD-ROM.
I’d phone and ask him but he won’t be able to find it - I do his backups for him but can never remember the name by the time I get home.
It is ten times better then NERO, which I use, and the PLEXTOR-WRITER crap that came with my dearest and poorest writer - his came free with an LG writer that is the bees knees.
I guess I could been more clear with my last question: Does anyone know if a disc formatted/written to using Roxio’s DirectD can be read and written to with Nero’s InCD without reformatting it? And vice-versa?
Revtim: They cannot. If you use a proprietary packetwriting format, you must install that same driver in order to read/write to the disc on another computer. This is why the CD-MRW standard was created (a little late though…).
Thanks Alereon.