Apple Macintosh - Page 22

Overview of the Mac 21
directly to the desired spot to access information. This is called
random access.
The Mac uses a floppy disk drive. A second type of disk
drive known as the Winchester fixed disk is also available on
many personal computers. Winchester disk drives are designed
so that from six to twelve times more data can be stored on
their surface than on a st andard floppy diskette. Fixed disks
are more durable than fl oppy disks b ecause they are made of a
hard , inflexible material. Winchester disks must be kept very
clean as they are extreme ly vu ln erab le to dust , dirt , and smoke.
Since they must be kept so clean , Winchester disks must
be sea led inside of the disk drive. This means that Winchester
disks cannot be changed unl ess they are installed in sealed
cartridges .
Floppy disk systems are often used in conjunction with
Winchester disks to allow for back- up storage. A Winchester
drive is shown in figure 1.3.
Courtesy of Corvus Systems
Figure 1.3. Winchester di sk system