Flopticals (was Re: Ramfast Card (rom versions))

["Seth D. Kadesh" <thes+@CMU.EDU>]

k_bouchard@csc32.enet.dec.com (My name is...) writes:
> Here's a dumb question: If these "FLOPTICAL" thingamajigs only hold
> 1440K when a regular 5 1/2 floppy holds 800k,why would I invest in
> one? (I thought they held a lot more. Aren't they built with laser
> technology?) Does it have to do with "multi-media"?   

As the proud(?!) owner of a floptical drive, I can safely answer your
question: They don't, Yes, and no.

The floptical drive has the capability of reading the following
formats:

21 Meg laser etched floptical disk
1.4 Meg Mac/PC/Prodos disk
720K PC disk (maybe Prodos too - I haven't tried this one yet.)

As far as multi-media goes, the literal interpretation of that phrase
would certainly fit the above description.  But multi-media, as it is
used in the computer industry, really refers to the integration of
sound and graphics (quite often there's a CD-ROM drive in there too)
in a computer.

  Seth ---> thes+@cmu.edu		It is not enough to watch.
"I said 'Forget Topsoil, Think Tinfoil, There's tons of kids who want
to get tanned.'" - Think Tree