Optical disk for a unix-pc, is it possible?

[Albert Hybl Dept of Biophysics SM]

While perusing the December issue of UNIX WORLD, I read about several
write/erasable optical disk systems.   On page 4-5, the 256 MB NeXT
optical storage was hyped.  On page 75, ERI described their 650
megabyte erasable and rewritable optical disk storage system
for AT&T 3B2s.  On pages 85-86 in a "Products of the Year" article,
the 594 megabyte "Artecon Erasable Optical Drive" was praised.
"...the drive itself is originally from Sony."  And on page 138, a
Micro Design Internation Inc. advertisement touted a 600 rewritable
CD-ROM for XENIX.

What would it take to put an erasable/rewritable optical disk on
a unix-pc?  Could it be make to work like a "second" hard disk?

Thank you,
A. Hybl                               UUCP: uunet!mimsy!mbph!hybl