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Is "disk" just a different spelling of "disc" or are they actually different words? (lemmy.world)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/lemmyshitpost@lemmy.world
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I heard some people say theyre the same thing, but others are adamant that they have different meanings. Which is it?

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[–] 36 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Disc and disk are varient spellings of the same word that pre-exist computing. Disc is more common in British English, Disk more common in American English. But yeah since computing came along disk has also been used more for magnetic media (hard disk) while disc has been used more for optical media (compact disc). I wouldn't be surprised if this only happened because of how the CD was marketed and branded as a "compact disc" as a trademark while hard disks and floppy disks etc were more generic terms.

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  • [–] 17 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

    In modern parlance, this has been my working understanding too:

    But yeah since computing came along disk has also been used more for magnetic media (hard disk) while disc has been used more for optical media (compact disc).

    Optical:

    • compact disc
    • laser disc

    Magnetic:

    • 3.5" diskette
    • 800GB hard disk drive

    ...and just to point out there is some disagreement

    Magneto-Optical , such as Sony MiniDisc, is sometimes referred to Disc for its optical properties and sometimes as a MO Disk for its magnetic properties.

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