diskette
from
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
diskette
n 1: a small plastic magnetic disk enclosed in a stiff envelope
with a radial slit; used to store data or programs for a
microcomputer; "floppy disks are noted for their relatively
slow speed and small capacity and low price" [syn:
{diskette}, {floppy}, {floppy disk}]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
diskette \diskette\ n. (Computers)
a data-storage medium consisting of a small plastic disk
coated with a thin layer of magnetizable material on one or
both sides, enclosed in a stiff envelope with a radial slit.
It is used in a specially designed disk drive, in which the
disk is rotated at high speed, and which stores data on the
disk by causing changes in the direction of magnetization of
the magnetic layer as the disk spins and as sequential
locations on the disk pass under the read-write head of the
drive. Reading of the data occurs in the reverse process, by
detection of the patterns of magnetization of the disk. Such
disks are used to store data or programs for a microcomputer.
Syn: floppy, floppy disk.
[WordNet 1.5 +PJC]
from
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
floppy disk
crunchy
diskette
double density
floppy
HD
high density
<hardware, storage> (Or "floppy", "diskette") A small,
portable plastic disk coated in a magnetisable substance used
for storing computer data, readable by a computer with a
floppy disk drive. The physical size of disks has shrunk from
the early 8 inch, to 5 1/4 inch ("minifloppy") to 3 1/2 inch
("microfloppy") while the data capacity has risen.
These disks are known as "floppy" disks (or diskettes) because
the disk is flexible and the read/write head is in physical
contact with the surface of the disk in contrast to "{hard
disks}" (or winchesters) which are rigid and rely on a small
fixed gap between the disk surface and the heads. Floppies
may be either single-sided or double-sided.
3.5 inch floppies are less floppy than the larger disks
because they come in a stiff plastic "envelope" or case, hence
the alternative names "stiffy" or "crunchy" sometimes used to
distinguish them from the floppier kind.
The following formats are used on {IBM PCs} and elsewhere:
Capacity Density Width
360K double 5.25"
720K double 3.5"
1.2M high 5.25"
1.44M high 3.5"
Double denisty and high density are usually abbreviated DD and
HD. HD 3.5 inch disks have a second hole in the envelope and
an overlapping "HD" logo.
(1996-08-23)
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