The standard specifies the characteristics of 130-mm optical disk cartridges (ODC) of the type providing for information to be written, read, and erased many times using the magneto-optical effect. ANSI X3.212:1992 specifies - definitions of the essential concepts, - the environment in which the characteristics shall be tested, - the environments in which the cartridge shall be operated and stored, - the mechanical, physical, and dimensional characteristics of the case and of the optical disk, - the magneto-optical characteristics and the recording characteristics for recording the information and for erasing it many times, so as to provide physical interchangeability between data processing systems.