Yes, multiple drives leaves you open to multiple failures. I didn't go with RAID as I couldn't afford to implement it at the time.

I've managed to salvage the /etc /usr /var /lib and /root directories. The only thing I've lost is /home and the videos directory. Luckily all my really important stuff is backed up on DVD or on the iBook. Sadly I've lost all my video, which was so large it made it nigh on impossible to back up in any reasonable sense.

I'm now thinking 3x200GB drives in RAID5 with LVM2 on top in external caddies running off an EPIA itx board.