HP drives

[Tony Duell]

> I've seen many times where the characteristics of a 3.5" floppy are 
> given as "160 tracks".  My take is that if you mean a physical head 
> position, it's best to say "cylinders".

I absolutely agree, and I try to do this. Doubtless I sometimes get it 
wrong, but ....

However, like the term 'DB9 connector' (which you and I both know nearly 
always mean 'DE9 connector'), alas the misuse of 'track' has become 
common usage. An awful lot of people would claim the 3.5" drive in a PC 
was an '80 track' device. It is, of course, 160 tracks with 80 cylinders 
each containing 2 tracks. 

I guess what I am saying is while it helps to be correct, it also helps 
to know common incorrect usage of such terms.

> Just as you would with a hard drive.  For the life of me, I don't see 
> why some folks insist on treating the nomenclature for hard and 
> floppy drives differently.

Alas they don't :-(. I've heard the term 'track' used for hard drives 
when they meant 'cylinders'. ARGH!!!

-tony