Floppy disk??

[jimbob]

Does anyone actually USE these things anymore? Why do manufacturers still put floppy connectors on brand new mobos with the very latest PCIx16 express and SATA-II stuff? Remember 8-track tapes and Betamax VCR's? Time to stop beating a dead horse.

[Grant A.]

The floppy disk was used for many years. So many, infact, that the symbol of a floppy disk is synonymous with saving data.

There are quite a few places that do infact use floppies, mind you. A lot of businesses don't have the money to upgrade 100 machines to the latest hardware, and have to make due with their original floppy drives. Now this may leave you with the askthing, "Okay, then why are they on the new PCs?" Well, these workers a lot of times can afford their own individual PCs. And of course, they will require something that can read their stuff brought home from work.

My motherboard doesn't have an area for a floppy drive. I have to make due with a USB-based drive.

[LowSky]

Many servers still rely on them for driver installtion.
Windows XP needs a floppy drive to install SATA drivers.
Many computers motherboards still use floppies to update their BIOS.

[drawkcab]

It probably doesn't cost that much to include one so why not?

[Apocalypse]

Floppy disks are still useful. You can store your most sensitive passwords in one: http://www.instructables.com/id/Hide-passwords-in-an-old-floppy-disk/

[Firestem4]

It probably doesn't cost that much to include one so why not?

You can purchase external USB floppies for the tidy sum of $80 =)..... =*(

[hoppipolla]

You mean you don't have a floppy disk drive? :o

But you can store up to a huge 2 MEGABYTES of data! hehe ^_^

[BuffaloX]

I think you mean diskettes which are 3.5", floppy disks were the even older ones of 8" or 5,25", and I suspect that to find one of those still in service would be pretty difficult.

If I should need to install Windows XP again, I need a diskette for the SATA controller, for that I have an old USB diskette drive.

I agree the inclusion of the old "Floppy" connector on modern motherboards, is 99.99% useless, as is the inclusion of serial and parallel ports, PATA, mouse and keyboard connectors.

Everybody just use an USB stick nowadays.
If people/companies still use diskettes, it's probably old habit and lack of knowledge.

[Grant A.]

I agree the inclusion of the old "Floppy" connector on modern motherboards, is 99.99% useless, as is the inclusion mouse and keyboard connectors.

I'm sorry, but we're not all lucky enough to have thought-driven computers.

[hoppipolla]

I'm sorry, but we're not all lucky enough to have thought-driven computers.

I'm assuming at this point that he meant PS/2! And I disagree because I think they're still nice to have for backup and there are a fair few PS/2 mice and keyboards still knocking around!

[dragos240]

I will need to install linux from floppies for my old laptop. Used to run 98. No ethernet port. It's a disaster.

[Chronon]

I think you mean diskettes which are 3.5", floppy disks were the even older ones of 8" or 5,25", and I suspect that to find one of those still in service would be pretty difficult.


As I recall, 3.5" disks were also referred to as "floppy", in contrast to "hard" drives.

[dragos240]

You mean you don't have a floppy disk drive? :o

But you can store up to a huge 2 MEGABYTES of data! hehe ^_^

1.4Mb

[BuffaloX]

I'm sorry, but we're not all lucky enough to have thought-driven computers.

You don't use USB for that?


I'm assuming at this point that he meant PS/2! And I disagree because I think they're still nice to have for backup and there are a fair few PS/2 mice and keyboards still knocking around!

USB has been standard for that for many years now, I have paid for all those obsolete connectors on about 8 motherboards now, without ever needing a single one of them.
I'll admit a PS/2 keyboard is likely to be just as good as a new one, but most can connect to USB with a PS/2 to USB adapter AFAIK.
And my guess is that almost everybody today has some sort of modern USB keyboard, with more modern design than the old clonky PS/2 ones.


As I recall, 3.5" disks were also referred to as "floppy", in contrast to "hard" drives.

Yes they were, and it was also wrong back then.
The connector however can be called a "floppy" connector, since it works for both floppy and diskette drives.
So I suppose the OP wasn't really wrong, I just don't like when people call Diskettes for floppies.

PS!
I needed some office supplies yesterday, and went to our office supply room, looking around a bit to see if there was something I might need, and I noticed this box of Diskettes. :P
One half full box for an office building with more than a hundred of employees.
Maybe I should try and mark the box, and count the disks, then go there again later and see if anyone at all use them anymore.
I wouldn't be surprised if it stays untouched.

[Gwasanaethau]

Just a couple of years ago, we used to hand in college assignments on 3½" floppies. I still have a few floating around, though I rarely use them. I use one as a Windows 98 startup diskette, which I may need in the future so I've kept it. I added a floppy drive to the last computer I ordered (only four years ago). It only cost me €1,21!

I also prefer PS/2 mice and keyboards to USB, they just seem to work better for me. Besides, it frees up USB ports for other things. I had my printer connected to the parallel port too, but that is definitely something that's been made obsolete by USB and ethernet – parallel connections are painfully slow (and I couldn't check my ink status via a parallel connection either).

As for serial ports, my desktop has two, but I've never used them. I don't even know what they could be used for, either.

P.S. The disc inside a 3½" diskette is 'floppy', even if the case was not. I believe that's why they were named as such.

[Jesus_Valdez]

They have some computers with floppy drive at my school, the ones that are connected to really old lab equipment.

It's getting rare this days, cause they are changing that equipment.

[running_rabbit07]

Does anyone actually USE these things anymore? Why do manufacturers still put floppy connectors on brand new mobos with the very latest PCIx16 express and SATA-II stuff? Remember 8-track tapes and Betamax VCR's? Time to stop beating a dead horse.

Government agencies are big buyers and a large amount of their systems use floppies.

[HappyFeet]

Windows XP needs a floppy drive to install SATA drivers.


You don't need drivers for XP with newer mobos. The BIOS has IDE hard drive emulation. (default setting) It's a great feature.