Re: Disk vs Disc (was: WD External Disc Drive)

2009/10/26 Bob Johnson <fbsdlists@xxxxxxxxx>:
On 10/26/09, Polytropon <freebsd@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:07:45 +0000, Arthur Chance <freebsd@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
The distinction you make is one
I've not come across before, and I've worked with computers for nearly
40 years.


Same here. I've always been told they were completely interchangeable.

I do recall that when floppy drives appeared for personal computers in
the late '70s and early '80s, there was some argument about the
correct spelling. The claim was that "disc" was correct, and that some
ignorant hobbyist at a new computer company had misspelled it as
"disk" and it stuck. But IBM used the "disk" spelling long before
that, so I don't think that was really what happened.

Looking in the OED, I find that "disk" was the original spelling, and
in the late 1800s "disc" became popular, then around 1950 "disk"
started regaining popularity, largely in the computer industry.


- Bob

--
-- Bob Johnson
  fbsdlists@xxxxxxxxx

I have always considered hard disk, floppy diskette, and compact disc
(and digital versatile disc) to be the terminology; but then again the
official British spelling is disc, whereas AFAICR the US spelling is
disk.

Chris

--
A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
A: Top-posting.
Q: What is the most annoying thing in a mailing list?
_______________________________________________
freebsd-questions@xxxxxxxxxxx mailing list
http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions
To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-questions-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxx"

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Will everyone stop saying tic
    ... A disk, as in a hard disk drive or a floppy ... A disc, as in a CD, DVD, or BD (Blu-ray Disc), is ... I can certainly accept American English and British English spelling ...
    (rec.audio.pro)
  • Re: Will everyone stop saying tic
    ... A disk, as in a hard disk drive or a floppy ... A disc, as in a CD, DVD, or BD (Blu-ray Disc), is ... I can certainly accept American English and British English spelling ...
    (rec.audio.pro)
  • Re: Will everyone stop saying tic
    ... A disk, as in a hard disk drive or a floppy diskette, ... A disc, as in a CD, DVD, or BD (Blu-ray Disc), is ... I can certainly accept American English and British English spelling ...
    (rec.audio.pro)
  • Re: Will everyone stop saying tic
    ... A disk, as in a hard disk drive or a floppy diskette, ... A disc, as in a CD, DVD, or BD (Blu-ray Disc), is ... I can certainly accept American English and British English spelling ...
    (rec.audio.pro)
  • Re: Will everyone stop saying tic
    ... A disk, as in a hard disk drive or a floppy diskette, ... A disc, as in a CD, DVD, or BD (Blu-ray Disc), is ... I can certainly accept American English and British English spelling ...
    (rec.audio.pro)