CD vs DVD (was Re: No more OOo in UNR 10.04)

[Graham Todd]

On Mon, 8 Feb 2010 07:37:38 +0000
Avi Greenbury <avismailinglistaccount at googlemail.com> uttered these
words:

> > Just thinking out loud but why ? How many machines out there have a
> > CD but not DVD drive these days.
[snipped]

There are lots of distros specially aimed at, or can support, old(er)
equipment.  I personally get computers with "only" a CD driver from
Freecycle (an organisation set up to exchange between members all sorts
of items which would otherwise go to a landfill), when the user gets a
new computer: there's often nothing wrong with the old computer, but
its discarded.  Yet, if there is I can do basic repairs.  I make sure it
works, put Xubuntu or Ubuntu on it and Freecycle it or give it away
again; many older people that couldn't afford a new computer have my
refurbished ones locally.

I know of at least one charity in the UK which does the self same
thing, but give computer repair skills to homeless and unemployed
youngsters; they sell the computers to help fund the project.  See:

http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/jamiescomputers/
or
http://www.jamiescomputerclub.org.uk/home/home.php

I'm sure there must be third world countries also with this sort of set
up.  The point I'm making is that there is definitely a need for older
computers with a CD drive, and if the CD drive contains a writer, that
might be all the users need.

So, in answer to your question, there are literally hundreds of
computers "out there" (maybe thousands) awaiting refurbishment, that
have only a CD drive in them.

I think there is a real need, however, (given bandwith constraints) for
a tutorial on screen on how to use torrents or jigdo.

-- 
Graham Todd