DVD player questions

[http://dummy.us.eu.org/robert (Robert)]

Some questions:

1) We have a VCR.  If we had a DVD player, would we need a switch to
   switch between the DVD player and the VCR, or is it possible to hook
   them together so we wouldn't need a switch?
2) Are there different types of DVD players?  I'd like to be able to play
   non-encrypted DVDs in addition to encrypted ones.  Also, it is worth
   having an "international" DVD player where you can play foreign DVDs?

I actually installed DVD playing software on my Linux machine, but I
realized afterwards that I don't have sound working on the machine I
installed it on!  I'm figuring it'd be as cheap to get a computer and
install a DVD reader on it as just buying a DVD player, and would
certainly be less effort.

Thanks.