• JingoBingo@lemmy.world
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        5 days ago

        It started with branding. Like CD stands for CompactDisc which was a trademarked brand name using this logo.

        Edit: I’m wrong. There is a patent for an optical disc that precedes CD and Laserdisc and uses the word Disc on the patent

        That’s probably where disc started being used for optical storage. And disk remained being used for magnetic storage.

        • SkunkWorkz@lemmy.world
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          5 days ago

          Disk comes from the Greek word Diskos. And Disc from the French word Disque. Edit: You were right it comes from Latin Discus

          Diskette means little disk. Floppy disks existed before diskettes.

          • atomicbocks@sh.itjust.works
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            5 days ago

            Diskette comes from cassette which had been used in photography long before describing tapes and just meant that it had a built in protective case.

              • atomicbocks@sh.itjust.works
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                3 days ago

                Cassette is a French word, diskette is not. It even says that in your links. IBM used the word for the 8in floppies too. It’s a portmanteau of disk and cassette because IBM already made hard drives and these were portable and looked a little like a photography cassette.