> This is a common refrain, but seagate and the others are proving that HDD tech is not 'rusting'.
It is a common refrain because disk platters were originally coated with iron oxide, and iron oxide is rust. It isn't a value judgement.
I think the original comparison to 'spinning rust' was tongue-in-cheek and not meant to be taken so-very-seriously, but it's kind of taken on a life of its own and, personally, I feel that it's gone a bit far and undeservedly undervalues hard drives.
"Logically, if you utilize a 'memory' disk you are ridding yourself of the physical limitations of disk drive technology — basically trading in the spinning rust. In a disk drive, you are battling physics to squeeze more performance out of your array; there are certain physical properties that just can’t be altered on a whim." - 2004
https://web.archive.org/web/20041018152106/http://www.dba-or...
As to the question of its present use as a method to hurt the feelings of hard drives and hard drive cognoscenti... I dunno.
I think you're reading too much into it.