StarDestroyer.Net BBS

Just what exactly is the difference between R and RW disks, I know R's can only be written once, and RW's a limited number of times, but why? I had thought maybe it was because an RW drive will burn pits into the foil of R disk and change the reflective properties of the dye spots in an RW disk, but I have two books that just say that's how "writable disks" have the dye but not which kind they are. And, if I'm right about how the two types of disks are different how does your drive know whether it's a R or RW disk, whether to burn pits or change the dye?
I think I'd still prefer magnetic media that's portable because even RW's only offer a limited number of re-writes, maybe I'll get a zip drive sometime provided the click of death problem has been resolved.

RW discs have a different organic dye which can be 'reused' a certain number of times. Record discs (WORM-style) have dyes that can only be changed once by a laser.

There's usually some information permanently recorded on a disc to tell what type it is (CD-R or CD-RW) along with manufactuer and dye type.