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Disk Drives Explained

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the stuff-to-read dept.

CowboyRobot writes "Magnetic disk drives are one of those things I usually take for granted without thinking about, but I recently realized how little I understood about how they really work. ACM Queue has an article from their 'Storage' issue titled, 'You Don't Know Jack About Disks', which does a very good job of explaining exactly how magnetic disks have evolved since the 70s and how they work today."

6 of 132 comments (clear)

  1. No explanation needed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    more /usr/src/linux/drivers/block/floppy.c

    It's all in there.

  2. This is a great paper. by Mensa+Babe · · Score: -1, Troll

    I have been already sick of people with whom I tried to talk about computers only to discover after two hours of conversation that they in fact have no idea what SCSI means for gods' sake, let alone ZBR. I do really hope there will be more introductory papers for beginners like this one, to which I could point people before another time I answer their question: "What computer should I buy?" I think Dave Anderson once again has done a great job. Thanks!

    --
    Karma: Positive (probably because of superiour intellect)
    1. Re:This is a great paper. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

      I'd like, to know more about the modern techniques. Storing data on disks directly instead of using magnetism? Like magnetism limits were hitting the brick wall of 1-2 gigabytes a few years ago

      What is the technique used now? The non magnetic ones I mean where data is written directly without magnets.

    2. Re:This is a great paper. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

      Funny, I'm a software engineer making 6 figures who writes applications for various DoD agencies.
      I have no clue what SCSI stands for and I've never heard of ZBR.

      Troll begets troll.

  3. Please by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Could somebody mod bomb that fucktard?

  4. Magnetic TransWarp Toilets Explained! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Wow, another article explaining something most of us should already know about. Wooooo Hoooo! A more useful article would be about Magnetic TransWarp Toilets. If you've ever used one, you know why they're so exciting to see and use. The chewing sounds you hear after it sucks out the poo and pee is so amusing. I like to hear it fart.