Closed Bug 273267 Opened 20 years ago Closed 20 years ago

"disc" should be "disk"

Categories

(Firefox :: General, defect)

defect
Not set
normal

Tracking

()

RESOLVED INVALID

People

(Reporter: Matti, Assigned: mamozrk)

References

Details

Attachments

(1 file)

This is from a reporter with an en-gb 1.0 Firefox Version:

>In the Firefox download manager, it says 'Save to Disc'. 
>
>Disc with a 'C' indicated an optical drive, such as a cd. By default
>most people will be saving to their hard drive. The correct word
>should be 'disk'.

BTW: It's "disk" in the en-us Version.
Attached image Screenshot
Unfortunately, there's no definitive source to say what is "correct".

The OED notes that 'disc' is the more usual form in British English, and that
the '-k' ending is due to American influence.  (Unfortunately, it doesn't
differentiate between any computer-related uses of disc).

I've still seen no clear British authority or prevalence to change my opinion;
wikipedia and dictionary.com (both of which have been cited to me previously)
use American English by default.

If there are other British English sources which make a stronger case than the
OED (and I'll accept both that the OED isn't the ultimate source in all cases,
and that in this case it doesn't provide overwhelming evidence), then I'll
consider a change.
I have an Oxford English Dictionary infront of me, which clearly states:

disk: magnetic disk
disc: magnetic disk

For both descriptions, it clealy uses a K for describing magnetic media - such
as a hard drive.
(In reply to comment #3)
> I have an Oxford English Dictionary infront of me, [...]

Sorry, I should have been more specific.  I was referring to the Online OED:

it notes in its etymology that 'disc' is the more usual form in British English;
and throughout, it refers to 'disc' rather than 'disk' -- though for one use of
disc (used in botany) it notes that *for that sense* the spelling is always
'disk'.  Since it doesn't disambiguate similarly for our sense, the inference is
that the matter is not as clear as one would like.
marking INVALID, as per Mark's comments.
Status: NEW → RESOLVED
Closed: 20 years ago
OS: Windows 2000 → All
Resolution: --- → INVALID
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=22392&dict=CALD

Definition
disk drive noun [C]
a piece of computer equipment that allows information to be stored on and read
from a disK <<<< DISK

That is how the Cambridge English Dictionary describes a hard drive. 

I can't understand why you find this hard to accept - 

DISC.  For Compact Discs, and Digital Versatile/Video Discs, "disc" is
short for Discus, or flat round thingy (technical term).  Check out
the discs that are marked with the official CD logo -- in small print,
it says "compact disc".

For magnetic media it's DISK because "disk" is short for "diskette".
Just some links to a 'disc drive' manufacturer:

Seagate Technology Find a Disc Drive: 
http://www.seagate.com/products/discselect/index.html

DiscWizard: 
http://www.seagate.com/support/disc/drivers/discwiz.html
http://www.dabs.com/uk/channels/hardware/storage/

Dabs, a UK company. Largest computer supplier in the UK. Disk. 


http://www.misco.co.uk/search/hard+drive/CH42/1/description/asc/index.htm

Misco, large business supplier... Disk


How about.. battle of the google.

27,400,000 for Hard Disk Drive
19,500,000 for Hard Disc Drive

This could go on forever. You are either going to accept that it should be Disk,
or you arn't. Im not going to argue like a child forever. All I know is that to
anyone I ask would agree with me on this one, and I thought I would tell you
about it. If you are going to leave it incorrectly spelt for eternity, be it on
your own head. Bye.
*** Bug 285423 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
>If there are other British English sources which make a stronger case than the
OED 

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=22391
says they can be interchanagable, but has an entry for hard disk and not hard disc.
As someone already commented:

Disk = short for diskette
Disc = short for discus

Disc is appropriate for CDs, DVDs, etc.  Disk is appropriate for floppies.  
Hard Drives could go either way, but it should probably be "disk", though no one
actually says "hard diskette", that's probably appropriate.
I still believe with a passion it should be disk. The number of magazines I read
every week seems to overwhelm any opposition. I'm glad you agree with me.

James, I.T. Manager.
(In reply to comment #8)
> How about.. battle of the google.
> 
> 27,400,000 for Hard Disk Drive
> 19,500,000 for Hard Disc Drive

The majority of the web uses American English; searching only pages from the UK
returns:

hard disk drive: 1,570,000
hard disc drive: 1,280,000
*** Bug 294319 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
*** Bug 309190 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
*** Bug 358880 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
This bug should be reopened. If disc is the correct spelling why are these in the OED:
http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/diskdrive?view=uk
http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/harddisk?view=uk

There is nothing about disc drive and hard discs in there?

Disk is emphasised for a computer medium on the disc page:
http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/disc?view=uk

Cambridge says:


Disk Drive:
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=22392&dict=CALD&topic=computer-hardware
Hard Drive:
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=35727&dict=CALD&topic=computer-hardware
Disk - disc is an alternative spelling - not the usual one:
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=22391&dict=CALD&topic=computer-programming-and-software


Check any major UK retailer as stated in a previous comment. Disk is standard english. Try www.scan.co.uk, www.aria.co.uk or www.dabs.com.
Oh and just another note: http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/download?view=uk

Note that according to oxford that you "download to disK"
Also, Chambers as linked to in Firefox says to see disk for computing. 

http://www.chambersharrap.co.uk/chambers/features/chref/chref.py/main?query=disc&title=21st
Mark, you said previously:

"If there are other British English sources which make a stronger case than the
OED (and I'll accept both that the OED isn't the ultimate source in all cases,
and that in this case it doesn't provide overwhelming evidence), then I'll
consider a change."

Since the OED, Cambridge and Chambers do not agree with you, perhaps we can have the correct spelling for Firefox 4.0 RC?
Cambridge Dictionary:

Disc: A circular flat object. (Also, a compact disc, CD.)
Disk: A flat circular device, usually inside a square container, which has a magnetic covering and is used for storing computer information.

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/disc
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/disk

Oxford Dictionary:

Disc (US also disk):
1 A flat, thin, circular object.
1.1 (disk) An information storage device for a computer in the shape of a round flat plate...

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/disc

See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spelling_of_disc

I really see no case at all for using "disc" other than in the context of optical media. This is the same as insisting we should write "computer programme" in British English. It's possible to make a technical case for it, but it is not accepted usage. "Program" is used in the context of a computer program, and "programme" in other cases. In the same way, "disk" is used in the context of magnetic storage, and "disc" in other cases.
P.S.: This is currently affecting the en-GB language pack:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/english-gb-language-pack/?src=api

In particular, in Preferences -> Advanced -> Offline Web Content and User Data -> "...using xMB of disc space".

This jumps out at me like crazy!
There is a litany of evidence for disk. Can someone please fix this bug.
You need to log in before you can comment on or make changes to this bug.