[comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware] What does IDE stand for?

cliburn@sleepy.bmd.trw.com (03/20/91)

OK all you computer weenies, stop talking about cache, megahertz, and
interlacing for a minute and answer a simple question for a simple
mind -- what does IDE stand for?  Is it a magnetic recording method
for disks?  Or is it an interface?  I've seen it used in the same
sentence and context with SCSI (yeah, I know what THAT stands for :-/ )

BTW, what does MFM stand for, too?  Modified Frequency Modulation?  That
was (is) a recording method used on 300MB disks back in the 70s & 80s.
I used to work on Control Data Corp (CDC) drives with BIG voice coils,
10 or 12 platters, and a helluva big capacitor somewhere in its bowels
that I always seemed to find when I didn't want to.

Please post the answer on the net, since there may be other lurkers who'd
like to see the answer as well.

Enquiring minds want to know...


Jay Cliburn

loving@lanai.cs.ucla.edu (Mike Loving) (03/20/91)

In article <1296.27e638de@sleepy.bmd.trw.com> cliburn@sleepy.bmd.trw.com writes:
>OK all you computer weenies, 

A salutation that is guaranteed to be politely received?

reeses@milton.u.washington.edu (Feltch Master) (03/20/91)

In article <1296.27e638de@sleepy.bmd.trw.com> cliburn@sleepy.bmd.trw.com writes:
>OK all you computer weenies, stop talking about cache, megahertz, and
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>interlacing for a minute and answer a simple question for a simple
>mind -- what does IDE stand for?  Is it a magnetic recording method
---random sputtering deleted--->
>Please post the answer on the net, since there may be other lurkers who'd
>like to see the answer as well.
>Enquiring minds want to know...
>>Jay Cliburn
Well, Jay, that's just one of the many esoteric secrets only us computer 
weenies are ALLOWED to know.  You, my friend, are just the average, run-of-the-
mill weenies, and, as such, not entitled to such information.  
So sorry.

-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
reeses@milton.u.washington.edu   University of Washington, Seattle
"Reality is a cop-out for people who can't handle drugs"

rkl@cbnewsh.att.com (kevin.laux) (03/20/91)

In article <1296.27e638de@sleepy.bmd.trw.com>, cliburn@sleepy.bmd.trw.com writes:
>         what does IDE stand for?  Is it a magnetic recording method
> for disks?  Or is it an interface?

	It's an interface.

	IDE (take your pick ;-))

	Intelligent Drive Interface
	Imbedded Drive Electronics
	Integrated Drive Electronics

	These drives have most of the controller functions built into the
drive circuitry.  Most use RLL (Run Length Limited) encoding and 36 sectors
per track (which is not acceptable for most AT BIOS drive tables).  Most
IDE drives do a translation so they can be used in systems that do not
support the drive type needed.

> BTW, what does MFM stand for, too?  Modified Frequency Modulation?

	Yes.

-- 
________________________________________________________________________________
	R. Kevin Laux				Email: rkl1@hound.att.com
	AT&T Bell Labs				Voice: (908) 949-1160
	Holmdel, NJ 07733			Fax:   (908) 949-0959

cliburn@sleepy.bmd.trw.com (03/21/91)

In article <18733@milton.u.washington.edu>, reeses@milton.u.washington.edu 
(Feltch Master) writes:
> In article <1296.27e638de@sleepy.bmd.trw.com> cliburn@sleepy.bmd.trw.com writes:
>>OK all you computer weenies, stop talking about cache, megahertz, and
>     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>interlacing for a minute and answer a simple question for a simple
>>mind -- what does IDE stand for?  Is it a magnetic recording method
> ---random sputtering deleted--->
>>Please post the answer on the net, since there may be other lurkers who'd
>>like to see the answer as well.
>>Enquiring minds want to know...
>>>Jay Cliburn

> Well, Jay, that's just one of the many esoteric secrets only us computer 
> weenies are ALLOWED to know.  You, my friend, are just the average, run-of-the-
> mill weenies, and, as such, not entitled to such information.  
> So sorry.

My, my.  Touchy, aren't we?

OK. I'M SORRY for the offending characterization!  If it's any consolation,
I'm one, too (M.S. Computer Science candidate).  Unfortunately (?), my B.S.
Physics didn't prepare me for the subtle nuances of the PC world.

By the way, I found out about IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics). 

Now, what does RLL stand for? 

"Random Sputterer" (appellation compliments of my friend from UWash)
Jay Cliburn

DSB100@psuvm.psu.edu (David Barr) (03/21/91)

In article <1297.27e72d43@sleepy.bmd.trw.com>, cliburn@sleepy.bmd.trw.com says:


>Now, what does RLL stand for?

Run-length limited.  An encoding scheme.

--Dave

uge@athena.mit.edu (Eugene A Beidl) (03/21/91)

In article <18733@milton.u.washington.edu>, reeses@milton.u.washington.edu (Feltch Master) writes:
|> Well, Jay, that's just one of the many esoteric secrets only us computer 
|> weenies are ALLOWED to know.  You, my friend, are just the average, run-of-the-
|> mill weenies, and, as such, not entitled to such information.  
|> So sorry.
|> 
|> -- 
|> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|> reeses@milton.u.washington.edu   University of Washington, Seattle
|> "Reality is a cop-out for people who can't handle drugs"


Give the guy a break, I doubt he was being demeaning.  Here at MIT such
comments are made quite frequently and just as quickly forgotten.  I personally
don't know the terms, but If I did I would tell.  Though I'm sure that doesn't
help much.

--Eugene A. Beidl
--uge@athena.mit.edu