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There have been several formats of magneto-optical media. A magneto-optical disk is most similar to a floppy disk. However, the recording medium cannot be recorded magnetically except shortly after the medium is heated with an infrared laser. After recording, the polarity of the reflected light is altered, and the medium is read with a laser, much like a CD. Many magneto-optical systems use a hard plastic disk and appear like a CD or DVD.
Magneto-optical disks can hold more data than corresponding magnetic media because the magnetic domains don't expand over time. Magneto-optical media included Zip and Jazz, LS-120/SuperDisk, Sony HiFD, and Bernoulli.
The popularity of purely optical media overshadowed the market for magneto-optical media, and no systems have been on the market for decades. Windows versions after Windows 2000 and XP have no support for magneto-optical media.
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