.raw vs .iso for burning?

[Kent West]

Following the links on the Debian homepage I've found some .raw files of 
Sid; however, I've always used .iso files for burning CDs. Can I burn a 
.raw file just the same as an .iso, or is it a different format, or 
should I just rename the extension, or what? BTW, the burner I'd use is 
on a Macintosh, but I have a friend who has a Windows-based burner if 
necessary.

Kent