I know this is an IT so most here should be able to tell the difference between discs and disks. Discs would be things like Blu-Ray, DVD +-R/W, or CD-ROMs. Disks would be the 2.5 or 3.5 inch varieties that people use as internal and external storage which I say is what you probably meant.

Paris, cause even she would know the difference.

Don't you know the difference between spelling and grammer ?

I hope you are being sarcastic. But I fear that sarcasm would be wasted on someone like you.

Firstly, "Grammer" does not exist as a word. I presume that you meant to say, "Grammar".

Secondly, the Register is an English publication, and in British English disk and disc are largely seen as synonymous, with disc being the preferred spelling. In American English a distinction is often (but not necessarily) made. The distinction being that disk is preferred spelling and disc is reserved for phonographic use.

Next time you criticise someone, get your facts right first.

Muppet.

Honestly, if you're going to criticize someone about spelling and/or grammar, learn how to spell it yourself!

I hate to say it, but:

1) It's Grammar, not Grammer

2) I think what you are complaining about is a spelling mistake, not a grammar error.

I think it is disk in this case, isn't it? Like program/programme.

Still, "grammer"?

Just to drag us briefly back onto the article, it's good to see there's something Blighty excels at - nobody designs a caning trestle like us.

Ah, it's good to see a corner of the Brutish Empire still operating as if we'd never been away. A proper thrashing on a proper British-designed bench. We knew how to keep them fuzzy-wuzzies down. That's what we need these day y'know, a good bit of British discipline. A spell in th . . . . . . . . . (disappears up fundamental orifice)

Bad day at the office? or lack of Friday extended liquid lunch break?

Perhaps our erstwhile poster meant Kelsey Grammer, and was attempting to write in the style of said thesp's most famous character, Frasier?

"2) I think what you are complaining about is a spelling mistake, not a grammar error."

That should be "grammatical error".

oh lord the grammar nazis are out in force. Hi how are you? Well to be honest, he deserves it. I hate it when electrical companies don't deliver on time.d

Paris - Because she delivers.

Jamie writes:

"I know this is an IT so"

An IT What? Publication? Blog? Sock?

My Grammer's fine- My Grammper died from old age ten years ago however.

Mine's the abestoes one with the flameproof hoodie.

Love these.

"Your wrong!"

"As are you, numpty."

I'm interested to know what, exactly, an "IT" is.

That would be perfect. Take the scammer out of his jail cell once daily, and cane him good. Then to get the point across, pour salt water on the wounds.

I feel that caning is a suitable accessory to being jailed for internet related crimes, like ID theft, spamming; etc. You know the drill!

Whilst we are all being smart arses it is a Contextual Spelling error. And it should be Disk not Disc.

While Jamie's spelling isn't so great, he is correct in the differences between disc and disk. The rest of you smart ass IT tools should respect his knowledge of technical matters which you seem to overlook.

While Joe public might not see a difference between disc/disk you must remember that the general public doesn't see any difference between OS X and Vista either. It's all perspective you know.

Secondly, the western world needs some cool legal terms like "cheating". It's vague enough to enable prosecution/caning for most of the political/white collar crimes that piss us off so bad.

For example: Mike Turner, you're cheating. Three lashes for you.

Hanging's too good for the bastard it's a guid kick in the erse he's needin... a la Billy Connolly. Before the grammar police attack I don't know how to get an accent on the a.

Efros

If you'd all like to send me some money I can get you some cheap disks.

And if they're cheap enough, you're not going to care how their spelt!

It's a rattan cane, which is considerably denser than bamboo.

The canable offence is that of overstaying not cheating. The investigation is still underway on the cheating offence, though apparently the immigraton one is a clear cut case.

...When we can still put in a bit of stick. However, the standard we set for the world has been in decline for some time.

Captain to man with whip in boat: "Why have you stopped?"

Man with whip: "He's dead, Sir!"

Captain: "you have your orders. He's to be whipped through the fleet. Get on with it or you will take his place!"

Man: "Aye aye Sir!"

You will rarely see such a scene nowadays.

... is one of the few British spellings that has fallen out of favour. It is still more accurrate than hard disk because there is no way that thing inside your computer is a diskette. But as you have already shown, we can argue the toss back and forth forever and do no good.

Paris because of obvious bdsm jokes.

I call a great idea. The UK should introduce this caning idea here. They could set up the tressle in each town square and at weekends could dish out lashes to all the scum bag hard drug dealers, petty thieves , conmen and the like. Would it not be great ?

The OED has...

"2g. Computing. A rotatable disc used to store data in digitally coded form, e.g. in a magnetic coating or optically. Cf. compact disc s.v. COMPACT ppl. a.1 II.1c, floppy disc s.v. FLOPPY a. 2, hard disc s.v. HARD a. 22c, optical disc s.v. OPTICAL a. 6.

See the note to the etymology for the spelling of disc in this sense."

...and in the etymology notes...

"The earlier and better spelling is disk, but disc is now the more usual form in British English, except in sense 2g, where disk is commoner as a result of US influence."

...so there.

It's nice to see again IT related articles pertaining to my local forums appearing in ElReg~

"Caning was introduced to Singapore by the British, and requires prisoners to be tied to a trestle based on a British design. ®"

NIce touch; LOL.

Speaking as someone that this guy stole from back in 2003 I'd love to see some justice being delivered in Singapore. The fact that the British police took no interest whatsoever in the activities of this guy, despite reports from 7 other guys that I know of personally, means that countless others have suffered financial loss because of this conman.

It would be great to see a Utube vid of this guy receiving the justice he deserves. I know it won't get my money back, but the sight would give me a warm feeling ...... but not as warm as this guys ar*e will be with the 4 lashes.

Keep up the banter guys ...... makes interesting reading.

Just for the record (no pun intended) ..... I'd use a DISK for storing data on the computer and a DISC for my Blueray / CD player.

Take are guys...

The best definition I have seen is that you use disc for the unprotected discs you can hold in your hand. Compact Disc, Blu-ray disc, etc. When talking about fixed disks, you should use a k in there somewhere. Hard disks, floppy disks (diskettes), etc.

I do not remember seeing "hard discs" twenty years ago. This spelling emerged (AFAICT) when Compact Discs started making their way onto the PC. Only at that point did the new spelling catch on in some places.

Another thing that confuses people: k = metric kilo (1000). K = bastardized Kilo (1024 -- 2^10). b = bit. B = Byte. When discussing speed, one would mostly count bits in a metric fashion. Hence 14.4 kbps = 14400 bits per second, not 14.4 * 1024 Bytes per second. Hard disk manufacturers (most of whom, oddly enough, are capable of the correct spelling) still prefer to use kB though so that the drives look artificially big.

It is a well know fact that very,very few people can withstand the pain of more than three strokes of the rattan cane per session. Therefore, any sentence for caning is made in multiples of 3 !! Imagine, if you will, the sentence for rape being 24 strokes of the cane. That means *EIGHT* sessions of three strokes each. Just the anticipation of the pain to come will make anyone forswear any future misbehavior !!

Having said that, Singapore has progressed beyond its empire days !! It's become a fine city !! If you do anything the government doesn't like, you'll be fined !! SG$1,000 for littering, SG$ 1,000 for smoking in a public confined space, etc. !! Visit Singapore and have a fine time !!

Caning is not the only tortuous legacy that lives on in Britain's former colonies. The ritual of lawn bowls is still observed in Australia, Canada and New Zealand, to name three.

He's a rotter and a bounder with scant disregard for the rules of cricket, the scoundrel deserves a damn good thrashing !

Yours

Major Fortesque-Smythe (ret'd)

I thought disk was an abbreviation of diskette, which is a disc in an enclosure (a la 3.5" floppy etc).

Does Singapore have the same high rates of criminality and anti-social behaviour that we see in Britain?

Perhaps we could learn something from them?

I hate it when im the guy in his place, but its better him there than me!!

To be honest, the difference between disk and disc doesent matter any more.

Words change meaning in IT daily, dependant on which idiot in marketing decides they are too techy for the plebs

look at DVD

the bastards changed that to "Digital Versatile disc" from its original meaning (10 quid if you can google that)

@Sarah Bee

woaah theres a girl reading The Register!!

Singapore certainly doesn't have the same high rates of criminality and anti-social behaviour as seen in Britain.

Many who return from there speak fondly of it in much the same way that they regret the passing of the Third Reich.

"Does Singapore have the same high rates of criminality and anti-social behaviour that we see in Britain?"

Britain doesn't have high rates of criminality and anti-social behaviour, as far as I can see. Got comparative data? Or just been reading too much Daily Mail?

Er, actually, she's in charge, what with her being the moderatrix and commenting under the sign of the living vulture.

Funnily enough, I believe there have been some allusions to her caning people.