re : DVD-RAM Drive in new machine

Hi Vern,

If you like, I can try and do the test. Probably won't get a chance next
week, but the week after I should have time.

We bought 15 blank DVD-RAMs from IBM for A$3000 (inclusive of a 10% goods &
services tax), or roughly A$180 per disk (pre-tax), which would work out
around US$90. They were all two sided, which means they come in a plastic
jacket. The DVD-RAM however, can use disks with or without the jacket. We
also had one sample single-sided disk from IBM which was also in a jacket.
The double-sided are stuck in the jackets, the single-sided can be removed
but are read-only when not in the jacket.

The company we're doing the extraction for has apparently bought a
Panasonic DVD-RAM reader which can also use the disks in jackets, so that's
not a specific IBM thing. I do believe you can get the same disks from
sources other than IBM for a bit less as well.

I'll let you know how I go with the test.

Thanks

Adam Driver
Technical Consultant
Kaz Technology Services
Level 7
66 Wentworth Ave
Sydney NSW 2010
Australia
Phone: +61 2 9844 0386
Fax: +61 2 9844 0333

A division of Kaz Group Limited - visit our website at www.kaz.com.au

>>date: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 09:59:06 -0500
>>from: Vern Hamberg <vhamberg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>subject: re : DVD-RAM Drive in new machine

Hi Adam

This is interesting. As for DVD format, yes, that is different. But the
contents of the files are not different, are they?  A Word doc will have
the same contents on a DVD or on a CD, I think. That's why I think it'd
work to save (or copy) to DVD on the 400, then IFS or FTP down to the PC,
then burn the files to CD.

What is the pricing on the blanks? Am I correct in remembering c. $70 USD
for the 2-sided ones? Or is that a holder? I've never seen any of this
stuff.

A test would be to put a simple program into QTEMP, called QINSTAPP. It
could just WRKSYSSTS or something. SAVOBJ QINSTAPP QTEMP dev(OPT03), then
bring whatever is on the DVD to the PC and burn it to a CD (Joliet works
fine). Then try LODRUN from that CD on the iSeries.

Again, just curious - seems like an interesting alternative process for
distribution of product.

Vern