Just found this out when I tried to burn a CD using xcdroast under the 32.6.9 linux kernel:
2.6.8 requires you to run as root (as others have noted). I have been unable
to create any cd at all since 2.6.7 (as root or otherwise) so there is also
some other bug hidden in there
Maybe its time to look at kde’s cd burning app, k3b?