[vox] Why Linux FS doesn't need defragmenting

[Bill Kendrick]

On Sun, Sep 10, 2006 at 10:07:39PM -0700, Jimbo wrote:
> Anyways...Why is it that this type of storage device is still used?  Seems 
> crude in that we have gone a long ways with electronics.  Couldn't they 
> just use some sort of electronic device?  It would seem that a large ic 
> chip like device could be able to be read and rewrote with ease.

We do have these.  See: Compact Flash and USB keychain disks, for example.

However, it's currently still much cheaper to squeeze data onto magnetic
tape than it is to place it in flash memory, so the uses for these devices
is still mostly limited to digital cameras, MP3 players (though note that
iPods typically use mini hard drives), PDAs, and embedded systems such as
routers.  Also, Linux thin client systems can be booted off of flash,
rather than floppy or hard disk.

I can easily get a 300GB hard drive for ~$200-300.
300GB worth of Compact Flash drives would cost about 40x that much.

(Just quick glance at amazon.com for a 1GB CompactFlash card.)


Note that CF, specifically, is a form of IDE.  I have an IDE drive
connector cartridge for my 8-bit Atari 800XL computer.  I'm currently
using an old 2GB HDD.  I can get an adapter that would let me use a CF
card from my digital camera, just as easily.

-bill!