40 ways we still use floppy disks...

Paul_s · 29 April 2010, 18:37

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8651750.stm

Locash · 29 April 2010, 22:27

1. I regularly buy floppy disks. I own a pub with a retro theme and I use them as beer mats.
Shaun Garrod, Ashby de la Soul

has anyone been to this Pub!. Sounds like heaven.

Dastardly · 29 April 2010, 22:42

I think he's jokingly referring to Ashby De La Zouche in the Midlands. Not far from where I live.

laffer · 29 April 2010, 23:03

Quote:

Floppies are easy to mail, cheap and easily replaceable, and somehow give the impression of document security that e-mail attachments don't.

........

Anakirob · 30 April 2010, 05:06

I used them as wallpaper in my old flat, approx 4000 dead disks covering 2 walls. They are all landfill now.

=EDIT=

That article does not contain 40 different uses for them, more than half of those 40 points involve using them for their intended purpose. Storing and transferring data.

Bronko · 30 April 2010, 13:37

I use them to load games on my Amiga, now that is unusual, right?

JACK98 · 12 May 2010, 14:09

Loedown · 12 May 2010, 15:36

Looks like Fool's Gold to me.

I still use them, why I keep hassling the SPS guys for write support in Kryoflux

ivansc · 12 May 2010, 18:12

I still have a hoard of DSDDs unused and waiting their turn....

Not that I use many nowadays what with hard drives being cheap....

Thorham · 12 May 2010, 18:19

Quote:

(A surprising number also enjoyed pointing out the South African term for floppies - stiffies - though let's not dwell too long on that.)

Haha, couldn't resist, stiffies, haha

Photon · 12 May 2010, 22:41

I've actually used 8" disks

When I was like 14 they had a clunky (oops, legacy) business system with a vector monitor (beat that!) with a dual drive. The standalone box with drives hung on rails under the desk and was about a 50 cm cube in chromelist/black/brown 70s design.

Maybe I should get some and make some kind of mobile or sculpture with'em. :P (Is 'making mobiles out of floppies on the list, btw??)

Anakirob: using them for storage = ways we still use floppy disks. At least I still think it's the best use for them

I guess I write about 30-40 new floppies per year for my A500, checkin' out megademos and stuff. It's only a hassle when it's your only option, when you can put most of the newly downloaded stuff on harddisk it's not a biggie to make a few floppies for the remainder.

Who will be the first to wear them as earrings to parties??

Djay · 13 May 2010, 02:01

Anakirob · 13 May 2010, 04:26

Quote:

Anakirob: using them for storage = ways we still use floppy disks. At least I still think it's the best use for them

Yes, agreed. But the article is called 40 ways we still use floppy disks, and more than half those points are basicly the same point.

DJay: Is that device real? Where can I find one?

Muzkat · 13 May 2010, 11:31

Great to see that they are still in use!

Photon · 13 May 2010, 13:18

Looks like it's a render for a planned thingamagadget, floppy with SD card and adapter electronics inside, probably.

alexh · 13 May 2010, 13:24

Supposedly you can use the floppy disk magnetic disk surface (i.e. the inside of the disk) with a digital camera as an IR band pass filter

http://www.instructables.com/id/Flop...R-Camera-Hack/

Benighted · 18 May 2010, 10:28

We use floppies at work to backup the config of the PBX.

JonSick · 18 May 2010, 14:42

We still use them at work, but can't say exactly what for. Backup and logs, essentially.

TCD · 18 May 2010, 15:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonSick

Backup and logs, essentially.

That's kinda ironic, isn't it?

JonSick · 18 May 2010, 15:57

In a way! A lot of it is to do with securing development environments and hardwares. We have approx 18,000 blank floppies left in stock and we use about 300 a week.

29 April 2010, 18:37	#1
Paul_s Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Amigaville Age: 46 Posts: 3,334	40 ways we still use floppy disks... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8651750.stm

30 April 2010, 05:06	#5
Anakirob Unregistered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Tasmania Age: 42 Posts: 893	I used them as wallpaper in my old flat, approx 4000 dead disks covering 2 walls. They are all landfill now. =EDIT= That article does not contain 40 different uses for them, more than half of those 40 points involve using them for their intended purpose. Storing and transferring data. Last edited by Anakirob; 30 April 2010 at 07:34.

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29 April 2010, 22:27	#2
Locash Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Sunny Wales Posts: 100	1. I regularly buy floppy disks. I own a pub with a retro theme and I use them as beer mats. Shaun Garrod, Ashby de la Soul has anyone been to this Pub!. Sounds like heaven.

29 April 2010, 22:42	#3
Dastardly Into the Wonderful Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: England Age: 49 Posts: 2,335	I think he's jokingly referring to Ashby De La Zouche in the Midlands. Not far from where I live.

30 April 2010, 13:37	#6
Bronko Remember: Shoot or die! Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Hamburg / Germany Posts: 89	I use them to load games on my Amiga, now that is unusual, right?

12 May 2010, 14:09	#7
JACK98 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: N/A Posts: 420

12 May 2010, 15:36	#8
Loedown Precious & fragile things Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Victoria, Australia Posts: 1,946	Looks like Fool's Gold to me. I still use them, why I keep hassling the SPS guys for write support in Kryoflux

12 May 2010, 18:12	#9
ivansc Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: huntingdon /uk Posts: 72	I still have a hoard of DSDDs unused and waiting their turn.... Not that I use many nowadays what with hard drives being cheap....

12 May 2010, 22:41	#11
Photon Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eksjö / Sweden Posts: 5,602	I've actually used 8" disks When I was like 14 they had a clunky (oops, legacy) business system with a vector monitor (beat that!) with a dual drive. The standalone box with drives hung on rails under the desk and was about a 50 cm cube in chromelist/black/brown 70s design. Maybe I should get some and make some kind of mobile or sculpture with'em. :P (Is 'making mobiles out of floppies on the list, btw??) Anakirob: using them for storage = ways we still use floppy disks. At least I still think it's the best use for them I guess I write about 30-40 new floppies per year for my A500, checkin' out megademos and stuff. It's only a hassle when it's your only option, when you can put most of the newly downloaded stuff on harddisk it's not a biggie to make a few floppies for the remainder. Who will be the first to wear them as earrings to parties??

13 May 2010, 02:01	#12
Djay 95th User Join Date: May 2001 Location: Brighton/UK Age: 48 Posts: 3,120

13 May 2010, 11:31	#14
Muzkat Into the Wonderful Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Earthrealm Age: 42 Posts: 1,426	Great to see that they are still in use!

13 May 2010, 13:18	#15
Photon Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eksjö / Sweden Posts: 5,602	Looks like it's a render for a planned thingamagadget, floppy with SD card and adapter electronics inside, probably.

13 May 2010, 13:24	#16
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,337	Supposedly you can use the floppy disk magnetic disk surface (i.e. the inside of the disk) with a digital camera as an IR band pass filter http://www.instructables.com/id/Flop...R-Camera-Hack/

18 May 2010, 10:28	#17
Benighted Amiga = Metal! Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Stavanger / Norway Posts: 92	We use floppies at work to backup the config of the PBX.

18 May 2010, 14:42	#18
JonSick Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: London UK Posts: 255	We still use them at work, but can't say exactly what for. Backup and logs, essentially.

18 May 2010, 15:57	#20
JonSick Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: London UK Posts: 255	In a way! A lot of it is to do with securing development environments and hardwares. We have approx 18,000 blank floppies left in stock and we use about 300 a week.

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