Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!att!cbnewsl!coco
From: coco@cbnewsl.att.com (felix.a.lugo)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: Canon double-sided ODs
Message-ID: <1990Dec11.151400.2426@cbnewsl.att.com>
Date: 11 Dec 90 15:14:00 GMT
References: <1990Dec07.215637.22618@ecst.csuchico.edu> <9886@darkstar.ucsc.edu> <NWC.90Dec11080736@galileo.shearson.com>
Distribution: usa
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 43

In article <NWC.90Dec11080736@galileo.shearson.com>, nwc@galileo.shearson.com (Nick Christopher) writes:
> 
> Remember when:
> 
> 	Hole punch turned a single sided Apple II floppy into a double sided?
> 	
> 	A drill bit turned a 720 KB 3.5 inch disk into a 1.44 MB 3.5 inch disk?
> 
>  What turned a single sided OD into a double? Those of you that have them -
> have you looked at them? Might we all have double sided OD and just not 
> know it ? 
> 	
> 	8^)
> --
>  	Nicholas Christopher (212) 464-3837

	I haven't seen a double-sided OD yet, but it is my guess, after fooling
	around with my machine and an OD, that the only thing missing from the
	current cartridges is the optical media on one of its sides (the
	shinny surface on the bottom of the OD).  Again, it is my guess that
	Canon designed it's OD with double-sidedness (if there's such a word)
	in mind, but the cost of producing the double-sided cartridges was a
	bit too high (at the time).

	Note again, these are only guesses.  If someone actually knows about
	this, please comment ...

	One question I've always wanted to know is why they designed the drive
	so that the read/write laser head was sitting on the bottom of the
	device.  All these dust problems we keep hearing about could have been
	prevented (decreased would be appropriate), since the laser head
	would be pointing down and dust would not collect on it.  I wonder if
	it is possible to "flip" the drive on its head!  In this case the
	OD cartridge would be exposed to dust, since now it would have its
	media open but pointing up.  Anyway, cartridges are easier to clean
	than the laser head.

	Food for thought.  Have a good day!

_____________________
	Felix A. Lugo
	coco@ihlpb.att.com
	att!ihlpb!coco