Linux kernel 2.6.x Raw device support

[James Finnall <James@Finnall.net>]

Hello All,

When configuring a Linux kernel 2.6.x series to enable the raw device support, 
it states this as being obsolete and deprecated.  The suggestion is to use 
the O_DIRECT flag when opening the device name.  I can see how this could be 
possible from inside an application where the system calls are directly 
available to the programmer.  

But how can such an option be passed through from the CLI to a program though?

It was also stated that in the next kernel development of 2.7 that raw device 
support could be removed.  Now I suppose that might be changed by popular 
demand as well.

I routinely use sdd to write directly to DVD+RW media and I use the raw 
devices for this operation.  So it is customary for me to use /dev/raw/raw1 
for the device interface on the output.  But if I have to use /dev/hdd 
instead on the next kernel series then I do not see how I can achieve the 
same results.

Perhaps someone here could offer some suggestions.

Thank you for your consideration,
James