Commercial Answer

The truth is that the two competing technologies use different formats. No single company "owns" DVD and both technologies have their "champions".

DVD-R/RW was developed by Pioneer. Based on CD-RW technology, it uses a similar pitch of the helix, mark length of the 'burn' for data, and rotation control. DVD-R/RW is supported by the DVD Forum, an industry-wide group of hardware and software developers, and computer peripheral manufacturers. The DVD-R format has been standardized in ECMA-279 by the Forum, but this is a private standard, not an 'industry' ISO standard like the CD-R/RW Red Book or Orange Book standard.

DVD+R/RW is also based on CD-RW technology. DVD+R/RW is supported by Sony, Philips, HP, Dell, Ricoh, Yamaha, and others, and has recently been endorsed by Microsoft. DVD+R/RW is not supported by the DVD Forum, but the Forum has no power to set industry standards, so it becomes a market-driven issue.

Technical Answer

DVD+R is a dvd disc that allows multiple layers for one disc where as dvd-r only allows one layer. They will not compete to become the de Facto standard, because they are both here to stay. Multi layer DVD+R can allow extra capacity per disc than DVD-R hence its high cost!

Source: AnswerBag

I've never heard of a CD+R

Thanks for the reply but, you have totally lost me????

Just look at it as 2 companies or groups of companies trying to outdo each other and snag the market for themselves.

Much like 8 track and cassette if you are old enough to know 8 track. Companies create something while others use a different technic but both hope they will be the successful candidate.

Much like Apple/Mac, MS, Commodore, Texas Instrument and all the others trying to gain the lion's share in the computer wold.

So they do the same thing?? Which is better?

No, they definately arent the SAME. When I created a montage I burned it on a DVD+R and it ddnt work. The software manufacterer told me I must use DVD-R disks and then it worked just fine.