This immense hardware power of computers and other digital devices such as laptops and palmtops is harnessed by an operating system. It ensures that the phenomenal capability of the processors is channelled toward executing real-world tasks according to the needs of the user. For this, the operating system requires specialised software programmes that are tailor-made to do different functions. Computers generate a lot of data in their day-to-day work. This data has to be stored somewhere. A variety of data storage devices have been invented in the last couple of decades that can be used with computers and other digital devices.
There are about a dozen different types of storage media available in the market to suit every need. These are of two types ? removable and non-removable. Among the latter, the most prominent are the hard drives that exist inside every computer. These are the primary data storage devices and have huge capacities, with the commonly available ones in the market today touching the 160 GB mark. Nothing can come close to hard drives in terms of data access and write speed, reliability and storage capacity and they currently monopolise the non-removable data storage market.
Then there are the removable storage devices, such as USB drives, flash memory cards, CDs, DVDs, portable hard disks, floppy disks and so on. Their storage capacity varies from 1.4 MB of a floppy drive to 240 GB of a portable hard disk. In recent years, due to improvements in technology, the storage capacity and reliability of portable storage media have increased exponentially.
The most popular and most widely used removable storage media is the optical disks. These are a wonder of modern science and engineering. They are an ideal solution to a typical computer user's data transport and archiving needs. Optical disks are nothing but small circular disks made up of very tough plastic.
They store all their data on one side of their surface (the data side) in a pattern of small microscopic pits. The pits are arranged in a single groove that starts from the centre and goes around in circles, radiating out toward the edges. This pattern of pits is read by a laser that bounces off the surface (hence the name ?optical disks,? because the data is read by light and not by a magnetic head).
The oldest and still mainstream optical disks are the compact discs. When they were launched in 1982, they revolutionised the portable data storage media market. It was just unbelievable how such a small disk could hold up to 700 MB of data. Contrast this with the most commonly available storage device then ? the floppy disk ? that could hold a puny 1.4 MB of data.
CDs were quickly accepted by individuals and industries. Their fast and wide popularity destroyed the floppy disk business and they have now almost gone out of use. The biggest gainer was the entertainment industry that soon made CDs the media of choice for launching movies and music albums, which earlier used to come loaded in magnetic-tape cartridges. All software today also comes loaded on CDs. The introduction of rewritable CDs redoubled their popularity as a flexible and high-capacity data storage tool. CDs are currently ruling the portable storage market.
Recently, another version of optical disks called Digital Versatile Disks (DVDs) has been launched. These are a huge improvement over the CDs in terms of data capacity. They can hold a whopping 4.7 GB of data. So, has the time come to bid goodbye to the good old and trusted CDs?
The introduction of DVDs is a real threat to the monopoly of CDs in the data storage market. However, CDs are quite cheap. They come at only 1/7th the cost of a DVD. On top of this, CD writers are quite inexpensive compared to DVD writers. DVDs still pale in comparison to CDs in terms of popularity and wide usage. However, as the use of DVDs spreads and they become as mainstream as CDs are today, the cost of DVDs as well as the drive is bound to come down drastically. This has already started happening.
It seems, for some time at least, CDs will coexist with DVDs. There is a huge amount of data files whose size does not exceed a few hundred MBs, such as anti-virus or data-recovery software. For these, many would still prefer to go for CDs because of their low cost, while the high-capacity data storage market will be totally monopolised by the DVDs.
Various crisis in the Arab world have raised concerns regarding the availability of fuel and led to huge increases in the price of fuel, panic buying and strikes. However, none of these have been strictly necessary.
The oil industry is the biggest business in the world. No company can function without fuel and very few people would be willing to forego it now either. Oil companies first blamed price increases on Middle East unrest but it is now generally considered to be the fault of the Chancellor for putting hefty taxes on fuel. The current level of fuel tax in the UK is set at 66%.
This, he claims, is to discourage people from making unnecessary car journeys, to share journeys or use public transport wherever possible and all to save the environment from all the green house gases that burning fuel emits.
The wider consensus says that if this is the real reason then the multi million pound business's and airlines who emit ridiculous amounts of pollution should be the ones who are penalised, not the average car driver.
Despite all this, time has gone by, UK fuel prices are now well over a pound per litre and the British citizens complain, but pay up nonetheless.
So, how has this controversial enforcement of taxes effected the business of tourism? The extra tax costs of the airlines has been passed on to the passenger with extra pay increases. This is another reason why British people complain but dutifully pay up.
For those of us unfortunate enough to not be able to afford expensive flights, driving holidays have long been the norm with many people choosing car hire as their preferred choice. Is this still a viable option given the extortionate price of fuel?
Car hire has always been a useful way of travelling on holiday. With one set price that covers tax, insurance and breakdowns car hire is often a cheaper and more reliable way of travel than using your own car.
Car hire in Austria is a very efficient way of travelling around to see the sights if this is where you choose for your holiday destination. Fuel in Austria does not suffer the astronomical tax levies that it does in the UK. In fact, a litre of petrol in Austria will cost as little as 79p compared to over a pound in the UK. Even this price can be improved upon if you chose to shop for your fuel in supermarket petrol stations.
Austria is the third cheapest place in the whole of Europe for fuel and the country has seen many natives of neighbouring countries crossing the borders to refill their fuel tanks. It actually works out cheaper for them to travel that distance to obtain cheaper fuel than it does to make a short trip in their own country on more expensive petrol. The country has also seen an explosion of petrol stations springing up around the borders.
So, the business of car hire in Austria is still enjoying all the benefits that its many customers bring and their fuel industry has seen a rise in profits. Is this not a good reason to lower fuel taxes even further?
Both James Walsh & Catherine Harvey are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
James Walsh has sinced written about articles on various topics from Small Business, Binding Machines and Divorce and Infidelity. James Walsh is a freelance writer and copy editor. If you are concerned about data loss and would like more information on see. James Walsh's top article generates over 368000 views. to your Favourites.
Catherine Harvey has sinced written about articles on various topics from Culture and Society, Home and Wedding Gowns. Expert holiday rep Catherine Harvey looks at the fuel prices while using to travel. To find out more please visit. Catherine Harvey's top article generates over 1500000 views. to your Favourites.