> the most commonly used CD-ROM filesystem format is specified in ISO9660.
> This defines a filename format of 8.3 (8 for the name, 3 for the extension).

Sorry, quick nitpick; ISO9660 does _not_ specify 8.3 but rather something
that is more VMS-like (upper case only, 31 characters with ;version number,
stuff like that). Most common unix filenames can be made into legal ISO9660
names by upper-casing them and slapping a ;1 at the end.

To coddle MeSsyDOS however, many CD burning programs default to 8.3 crunching.
It can be disabled. My Macintosh NetBSD Install CD was done this way, which
is rather nice as the MacOS I have does not understand RockRidge!

Todd Whitesel
toddpw @ best.com