If you're running a fairly recent kernel, probably not. Older kernel versions required scsi-emulation to be set up for the drives, but recent versions support direct ATAPI/IDE access. If you're using a 2.6.x version kernel, you almost certainly are ready to go. An easy way to test if direct ATAPI access is available is to install cdrecord (mentioned below) and issue the command
Code:
$ cdrecord -dev=ATAPI -scanbusIf your drives are mentioned in the scan output, you're ready to go.

2. How can I burn CDs/DVDs under linux?

Burning Software:
GUI:
xcdroast: an easy to use graphical front end for the cdrtools and cdrecord-prodvd. Originally based on the SCSI emulation interface to IDE, so it can be a quite unresponsive interface at times.
k3b: A KDE-based burning frontend, similar interface to Nero. Slightly more user friendly than xcdroast but has fewer options. However, in most cases it is much faster and more useful (uses dvd+rw-tools for dvd burning and ide-cd access).
CLI:
cdrtools: A helpful cd burning toolkit, includes mkisofs for creating images. Example commandlines:
Code:
# mkisofs -dvd-video -V MY_VOLNAME -o dvdvideo.iso /path/to/video/
Creates a DVD-Video image called dvdvideo.iso with
volume name MY_VOLNAME from the /path/to/video/ folder
# cdrecord -dev=/dev/hdd -dao image.iso
burns the imagefile image.iso in Disk-At-Once mode to the /dev/hdd drivecdrecord-proDVD: The DVD-enabled version of cdrtools, requires a (freely available) key for images over 1 gig. Syntax is similar to cdrtools.
dvd+rw-tools: A DVD burning kit that includes support for both DVD+R and DVD-R and changing the booktype of DVD+ media. Example commandline:
Code:
# growisofs -Z /dev/hdd=image.iso
burns the imagefile image.iso to the drive /dev/hdd2B. How can I get the media code (disc identifier) of a blank DVD+/-R?

Once again the dvd+rw-tools are helpful in this regard - the command
Code:
$ dvd+rw-mediainfo /dev/dvdwhere /dev/dvd is your DVD drive containing the media in question will spit out among many other pieces of information the media identifier code of the DVD blank.

3. What linux applications support dual layer DVD discs?

Although I haven't personally tested it, the dvd+rw-tools mentioned above support dual layer discs (as well as k3b, which is a frontend for the dvd+rw-tools).

4. What linux applications support booktype / bitsetting?

Recent version of the dvd+rw-tools (mentioned above) support dvd-rom booktype modification for both DVD+R and DVD+RW media. Bitsetting command line examples:
Code:
# dvd+rw-booktype -dvd-rom -media /dev/hdd
Set the booktype of a DVD+RW disc to dvd-rom

# dvd+rw-booktype -dvd-rom -unit+r /dev/hdd
if issued before burning, this command instructs
the drive at /dev/hdd to set the booktype to dvd-rom
(blank media must be in drive)5. How can I create / play XCDs?

mode2cdmaker can be used to create 800MB xcd images from any media content. Make sure not to use the -s switch when creating XCD images (the default under some windows GUIs) because using only one track will render the XCD unreadable under current linux drivers. An example commandline is:
Code:
$ mode2cdmaker -m moviefile.mkv -v MY_TITLE -e DAT -o myimage
Creates an imagefile with basename myimage and volume ID
MY_TITLE adding moviefile.mkv as a form-2 file with an
extension of .DAT for mode 2 files.To playback an XCD, simply issue the mplayer command:
Code:
$ mplayer vcd://2 -cdrom-device /dev/hdcwhere /dev/hdc is the device file of the CD-ROM drive that contains the XCD. Mplayer should auto detect the file format.