Винчестер

Помню, в середине 90-х, когда только-только начали появляться компьютеры в школах, потом у друзей, все называли жёсткий диск не иначе как "винчестер". Странное какое-то название, честное слово. Потом, конечно, все стали говорить "жёсткий диск", так как все журналы и обзоры техники использовали именно этот термин. Я до сегодняшнего дня даже и не знал, почему именно "винчестер", пока случайно не наткнулся на обзор одного ноутбука, где было использовано это слово. Я решил удовлетворить своё любопытство, и вот что я нашёл в Википедии (только на английском, правда) [L]:

The IBM 3340 Direct Access Storage Facility, code-named Winchester, was introduced in March 1973 for use with IBM System/370. Its removable disk packs were sealed and included the head and arm assembly. There was no cover to remove during the insertion process. Access time was 25 millisecond and data transferred at 885 kB/s. Three versions of the removable IBM 3348 Data Module were sold, one with 35 megabyte capacity, another with 70 megabytes, the third also had 70 megabytes, but with 500 kilobytes under separate fixed heads for faster access. The 3340 also used error correction. It was withdrawn in 1984.

The 3340 was developed in San Jose under the leadership of Ken Haughton. Early on the design was focused on two removable 30 megabyte modules. Because of this 30/30 configuration, the code name Winchester was selected after the famous Winchester 30-30 rifle; subsequently the capacities were increased, but the code name stuck.

The significance of this product, and the reason that disk drives in general became known as "Winchester technology" had nothing to do with the configuration of the product. This was IBM's first drive to not unload the heads from the media. The Winchester technology allowed the head to land and take off from the disk media as the disk spun up and down. This resulted in very significant savings and a large reduction of complexity of the head and arm actuating mechanism. This rapidly became a standard design within the disk manufacturing community.