peripherals

The book is simple yet concise in presenting disk drive mechanisms for the layman and does away with excessively complex formulations found in most texts. That's the main reason why I rate it as excellent for newbies to the data storage industry. As for experts, it serves as good instructional material as well as a handy reference. The contents are well-delivered, breaking into different sections for discussion and each chapter ending with references for in-depth reading. While the book attempts to cover the evolution of drive design (e.g. ferrite technology), there is also up-to-date coverage on newer stuff like giant magnetoresistive heads and PRML technology. On the other hand, the disappointing areas are the lack of discussion in mechanical aspects, assembly and perhaps, on the servo and spindle control.

In general, this is a helpful book for people interested in basic understanding of a magnetic disk drive. Wish I have this sooner...