> The other problem with trying to implement RAW devices, and,
> granted, I could be over cmplicating it, but how do you implement it
> across X operating systems running Y platforms? Doesn't each of them
> access drives differently? And, in some cases, multiply that by two for
> IDE vs SCSI...or...vs...?
That is the real problem. I have to assume whenever you start implementing raw
devices, you go far far away from DBMS design to OS design. Perhaps you do not
have to write the process control part of an OS, but (I mean this jokingly) in
one's arrogance one must think you can access the HD's more efficiently than the
OS can. Hey, maybe some can do this, and have enough knowledge about HD's and
controllers to do this, but making this portable is got to a _lot_ of work.
Not that it couldn't be done, or that it wouldn't be eventually a good idea
(*though I am not certain about that)...james