[SIGCIS-Members] Current use of floppy disks

[Mike Halvorson]

As members have noted here, floppy disks are actually a pretty robust
medium. I worked at Microsoft in the early 1990s, and we regularly heard
reports of users retaining floppies over hard disk storage, because of
lingering worries about the stability of PC-based hard disks. A marine
biologist that I spoke with explained that at sea, hard disks from that era
routinely failed when research vessels encountered rough water--so they
retained floppy-based systems. Of course, every-expanding software packages
made this impractical. But I'm not surprised that many floppy-based
solutions are still out there.

On Fri, Nov 5, 2021 at 3:57 AM Schmitt, Martin <
martin.schmitt at tu-darmstadt.de> wrote:

> 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
> 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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-- 
Michael J. Halvorson, Ph.D.
Benson Family Chair in Business and Economic History
Professor of History
Director of Innovation Studies
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