[SIGCIS-Members] Current use of floppy disks

[McMillan, William W]

Interesting question, Martin!

There are plenty of us who have old files on floppy disks. I have a USB-connected floppy drive handy to read these if and when I want to.

Some old Boeing 747s still use floppies:
https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a33612762/boeing-747-floppy-disk-updates/

There are probably other dedicated real-time security and control systems in low-tech settings that still use floppies.

Hobbyists and old-gear aficionados, including nostalgic gamers, still use them. (I have an old Windows 7 computer, with floppy drive, disconnected from the Internet, which I use just for computer programming.)

Bill

[https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/images/background-made-of-vintage-colored-floppy-disks-royalty-free-image-1597667296.jpg?crop=0.992xw:0.516xh;0.00160xw,0.0666xh&resize=1200:*]<https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a33612762/boeing-747-floppy-disk-updates/>
Floppy Disks: Do They Still Work? | 747s Still Use Floppy Disks - Popular Mechanics<https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a33612762/boeing-747-floppy-disk-updates/>
Some Boeing 747s still use 3.5-inch floppy disks to load updated navigational databases. That sounds crazy, but it isn't.
www.popularmechanics.com


________________________________
From: Members <members-bounces at lists.sigcis.org> on behalf of Schmitt, Martin <martin.schmitt at tu-darmstadt.de>
Sent: Friday, November 5, 2021 6:57 AM
To: Sigcis <members at sigcis.org>
Subject: [SIGCIS-Members] Current use of floppy disks

Dear SIGCIS,

today, I got a request by a German journalist asking about current uses of floppy disks. Are they still is use somewhere? Are there still users, for example power plants, airlines, banks or so who are using floppy disks? If so, why do they do that? I am sure that you can address this question, that was forwarded to me by Daniela Zetti, way better than I could. My first thought were computer hobbyists who are working with old computers and presenting them at Vintage Computing Festivals – cool stuff, but I do not think that is what the journalist wants to hear.

Best
Martin

Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter | Post-Doc | digital enthusiast

Technische Universität Darmstadt
Institut für Geschichte
Fachgebiet Technikgeschichte

Mail: martin.schmitt at tu-darmstadt.de<mailto:martin.schmitt at tu-darmstadt.de>
Tel: +49  6151-16-57327
http://www.computerisierung.com

&

Assoziierter Wissenschaftler
LEIBNIZ-ZENTRUM FÜR ZEITHISTORISCHE FORSCHUNG | POTSDAM

Vice Chair IFIP WG 9.7 „History of computing"

Zuletzt erschienen: Leslie, Christopher und Martin Schmitt (eds.): Histories of Computing in Eastern Europe, Cham: Springer International Publishing 2019 (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology 549), https://www.springer.com/978-3-030-29159-4











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