Outdated Technologies: Floppy Disk

[killer-curry]

Yep back in millennium, floppy disks were the most popular storage system before USB storage was invented. It was 1.44 MB format and most of the times it was used for storage documents.

Do you all used this floppy disk before? What do you think if it still can be used it in these days of technologies?

 

[Bay]

I remember using floppy disks to save my stories and schoolwork. My dad used to work in a warehouse that ships floppy disks so I used the ones he had saved. I stopped using them when I bought a USB drive for more storage. Can't really think any way a floppy disk would be used now.

 

[Guest123_x1]

I used floppy disks regularly at school with their computer through at least sixth grade, mainly using them with the Apple IIe systems that they had at the time.
Also, when I got my first PC at home, I regularly used floppy disks, mainly the 5¼ inch kind, not just for loading programs, but to save some files as well.
When I got a somewhat more recent computer back in 2001, I regularly backed up certain files to 3½ inch diskettes, and would continue using them well into the next decade, including at school to take my files that I worked on at school home, but usage began tapering off around 2009 or so, to the point where I now only have one PC that has a floppy drive-a Compaq Presario from 1998 that I got in November of 2001-which I only run occasionally just to relive the memories of Windows 9x.
I have, though, archived (zipped) the files that I had on my 3½ and 5¼ inch diskettes quite a few years ago, in preparation for when floppy drives couldn't even be used at all.

The 1.44MB format wasn't the only major floppy format around. There were several different disk formats and sizes over the years, the most common ones used by IBM-compatible PCs consisted of:
3½ Inch:

• 720KB double-density
• 1.44MB high-density
• 2.88MB extended-density (never caught on, and thus, extremely rare if not essentially extinct today.)

There were also "DMF" formatted disks carrying up to 1.7MB per floppy, said format was primarily used for software distribution, most notably Windows 95.

5¼ Inch:

• 160KB single-sided double-density (8 sectors per track)
• 180KB singe-sided double-density (9 sectors per track)
• 320KB double-sided double-density (8 sectors per track)
• 360KB double-sided double-density (9 sectors per track)
• 1.2MB double-sided high-density

In addition to the PC disk formats I listed above, there was also an 8 inch floppy disk, which was the original size to be introduced by IBM in the 1970s. I remember my Skill Center computer networking instructor showing our class one of these, and I was in awe at how humongous it was. In fact, 8 inch floppies are larger than CDs/DVDs/Blu-ray discs (comparable in size to 5¼" floppies) and even most 45 RPM records (7 inches in diameter)!

 

[Tsutarja]

Yeah, I've used floppies in the past; they're quite small in their file size indeed, but they certainly are the precursor to the USB drive :P

 

[Starry Windy]

I used to use many floppy disks as well when I was using it to save data on the internet cafe back in the day, even though it's quite sad that it's overshadowed by USB flash disks nowadays if it comes to transferring data, since the flash disks have bigger capacities than floppy disks are. I think floppy disks can still be used in modern-day technologies if they provide the floppy disk drives on the PC case, even though it's almost rare to see one at this time because of the statement above.

 

[Tsutarja]

So today I just bought a whole new box of floppies. I probably won't need them all, as they're just for backups on my Windows 95 computer.

 

[Legendary Silke]

I'm still puzzled by the existence of this wacky new connector called Universal Serial Bus. Been seeing more and more of these pop up on computers lately, usually on the rear of a new computer... it looks promising, but nobody uses it. Though I think someone managed to develop a usable storage device using that bus...

I have three boxes of floppies. They're so limiting, I wish I had a CD burner.

 

[Drayton]

Back then, I had to use floppy just store data, the capacity is just ridiculously limited and not enough for a picture or MP3.Probably the modern-era CD-RW/R beats Floppy by larger size. If there is a such obsolete computer out there I'm sure Floppy still usable as this era USB beats Floppy by thousand and there's no such drive as A: or floppy drive anymore.

 

[felicae]

Never see any floppy disk almost 15 years ago. The last time i saw it is from my junior school, lol

 

[RegalSin]

1. Floppies are not outdated.



2. Floppies are used for documents and I still have games on floppies that works fine.

3. People do not take care of them.

4. Firewire storage is a way better technology then USB but USB is on almost every computer even before USB was being used.

5. Tape drives was being used before USB on the MAC. In terms of media storage.

6. USB have tons of issues. I lost my most important data thanks to usb. My CD-roms was far better at keeping storage then god forsaken USB drives.

7. Once something is deleted on a USB it is gone forever. USB is not the same as FLASH storage. Even so with USB it is gone. Same with any SSD drive. Gone forever and ever and ever

8. I have used USB that sparked and caused my computers to turn off.

Point being is that USB might have it's ups but by far it is not the best or a great replacement for Tape or even the floppy. My advice have something important get some mini-DVD discs at leasts

 

[Sephirothxx]

I love floppies! I still use them fairly frequently. I've got them in the standard size and the 5 1/4 inch size, although I use the standard size more. I also have a tape drive and CD Caddies, but that is another topic.

 

[killer-curry]

The fact is Floppy has very limited storage, 1.44mb is very small. Besides, the development cost are not cheap too. Considering the material cost is very high, it is not profitable for companies to reserach in this device. USb and Disc are far way cheaper and easier to build, furthermore the size is becoming bigger following the technology.