The terabyte drive...

[mrtristan]

We're going shopping tonight, so I decided to make CompUSA a stop. I have an extra 30Gig hard drive sitting in my closet, just waiting to be hooked up. All of my IDE channels are full, so I'm going to buy an IDE controller card.

Anyway, I remember when I upgraded my PowerPC 66Mhz hard drive from 100MB to 500MB. I run more RAM than that, now. Currently, I have a total of 160Gigs of hard drive space and most of it is taken up by capture material. I didn't think that my 120Gig drive would ever get full, but now it's fat and lazy.

What do you think hard drive storage will be like in 5 years, assuming that we're still using the same magnetic disc technology? 10 years? When do you think the first terabyte or multiple terabyte desktop drive will come out?

Also, just as a side note. I find it extremely weird that my kid won't ever know the days before computers. I remember a time when people used to write letters instead of e-mail, but that's a whole different post.

[Faustus]

Get two of these: http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?id=10081

[WeedVender]

Just get 4 250 GB WD special Edition HDD...
and dont pay 1000 for a half terabyte drive......

[MackemX]

the bigger the drive the more you lose when it fails unless of course you have two with one being a backup

I've got 6 x 80Gb HD's rather than one HD because of this

[ChrisX]

It will a matter of time before a terrabyte computer is available. Probably in 5 years from now.

At the moment my 3 computer hard drives total: + 220GB

I do find this isn't enough and the computers are soon running out of space. I am aiming for a new 120 GB HD in one of them soon. With the extra drive my total will be over one third of a terrabyte.

The new HD is for videos all in one place instead of all over the network.

[Faustus]

with the size of hard drives now I'd assume it to be alot faster then 5 years myself.

Heck I remember when the idea of that much space was mind boggling, now I think about it and say "Wow that would be nice, but I'd eventually fill it up."

[freak_in_cage_10k]

i think they r gonna reaxch a plateaux with the way they store data, i reckon eventually they will movie onto using nature to do our work, attaching ginetically cloned cells to small electrode to store data.

think about it, the human invented the pc, and yet the human still doesn;t understand how about 70% of the human brain actually works, when we understand how it works no doubt we will harness natures more efficient method of storage some how!

think about the motor car- when it was first developed walking pace was top of the range, when it out performed a horse it was unbelievable, but now they have reached a plateux at about 250mph! no matter how big the engine etc, it is near impossible to exceed this speed with the internal combustion engine! So, for additional speed they developed the jet engine which can now propell lang vechiles to about 800mph!!!!

so, it is only a matter of time before they do the same with the computer, and the thought that it is only a question of deacades, is a scary but exciting thought!!!

i can see the day when all electrical appliances, from TVs to refrigorators are linked up to a major pc system in the house, and the user will be able to customise the entire way the house runs using his computer. who knows where it will go from there? i guess human nature will determine that!

[Greg12]

eventually they will store data by manipulating the facets and lattices of crystals.

The problem is you would require a 3rd unit instead of just 0 and 1

[i_am_dave]

eventually they will store data by manipulating the facets and lattices of crystals.

The problem is you would require a 3rd unit instead of just 0 and 1

I guess the next generation of computer engineers can learn to think in trinary.
I can remember doing Karnot maps and all of the binary logic stuff when I had circuit design classes 25 years ago. Lots of fun.
Imagine working with flip-flops that have Q, not Q, and other Q.
Gives me a level 3 hangover just thinking about it!

I am sure that there is at least another breakthrough possible for magnetic media.

I can remember when a 100Meg hard drive was thought to be impossible.

[WeedVender]

The next chapter in computing is Quantum computing... I think that it involves decimal notation or something else.

But the DNA aspect of it is very promissing.
Supposedly in theory 1 drop or strand of DNA can store up to 700 Blank CDRs

[Cobra]

Just thought the quantum computer bit was an interesting point. Try the links to the side...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3043731.stm

CobraDMX

[BJ_M]

that lacie drive uses multiple hard drives in case you were wondering

[Tommyknocker]

I remember a time when people used to write letters instead of e-mail, but that's a whole different post.

I must be a fossil. I still write letters and use email.

[Greg12]

the DNA could get hot and such.


With the crystal lattice drive, the data can be stored by lasers and read quickly by lasers which can re-arrange the atoms.

The technology of the day after tomarrow.