don't all dvd-rom drives read dvd-r? i thought that was that point of a dvd-rom... that's why i want it.
Some only read dvd's or dvd roms, or dvd +R which is different from -R. Not to mention DVD-rw and +rw. The DVD marketplace is trying to figure out what the standard should be (kinda like beta and VHS back in the day).
I found all of this out the hard way by purchasing one that didn't read dvd-r. Make sure you do some research before you buy one. Most newer ones read just about everything, but you had better do some homework. There are compatability charts on the web if you do a google search and type in "DVD compatability".