Path: utzoo!dciem!nrcaer!cognos!bdeskin From: bdeskin@cognos.uucp (Bob Deskin) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: Re: SS disks Message-ID: <2973@cognos.UUCP> Date: 10 May 88 12:40:06 GMT Article-I.D.: cognos.2973 Posted: Tue May 10 08:40:06 1988 References: <184chad@byuvax.bitnet> Reply-To: bdeskin@cognos.UUCP (Bob Deskin) Organization: Cognos Inc., Ottawa, Canada Lines: 39 Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: Re: SS disks Summary: Expires: References: <184chad@byuvax.bitnet> Sender: Reply-To: bdeskin@cognos.UUCP (Bob Deskin) Followup-To: Distribution: Organization: Cognos Inc., Ottawa, Canada Keywords: In article <184chad@byuvax.bitnet> chad@byuvax.bitnet writes: > >Question: Is it true that MACs use the top of the disk while Atari/IBM >use the undersides? If that is true, then all SSDD disks are *certified* >DSDD disks as the manufacturers wouldn't know which computer is going >to be used and therefore which side to certify... > >That is what I have heard. If it is true, then it is the biggest scam >around. What you say may be true, however, as I understand it, there is no question about whether both sides of a SSDD disk are usable, its whether both sides can be used with assurity at the same time. Again, as I understand it, a DSDD disk has a slightly thicker platter so as to separate the two sides more. This prevents interference when reading. Remember that reading a disk means electronically reading the magnetic encodings. If, when reading the top side, you pick up the bottom, well, you are going to get garbage. I have heard of many people using SSDD disks as DSDD without difficulty, but they make sure they have backups. -- Bob Deskin decvax!utzoo!dciem!nrcaer!cognos!bdeskin Cognos Incorporated P.O. Box 9707 (613) 738-1440 3755 Riverside Dr. Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA, K1G 3Z4