3.5" floppy disks were peak tactile feedback in storage: easy to stick in, drives had a button to immediately eject them, big enough to get labels, thin enough that stacks didn't take too much space

Comments

• teft@piefed.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  “didn’t take too much space”

  Someone never installed an operating system from floppies. Win98 was 38 floppies. Heaven help you if you didn’t notice you only have 37 disks until halfway through the install.

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  • masterspace@lemmy.ca ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    They’re talking about the tactility of the format, not the actual data limits on it.

    You could build SSDs today in floppy form with terabytes of storage.

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    • dubyakay@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      You better patent this.

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  • ICastFist@programming.dev ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    To be honest, by 1998 something as big as win98 wasn’t supposed to be shipped in floppies. Then again, win95 was available as 27 disks

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    • grue@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Windows 95 on CD-ROM included three music videos, presumably to show off the capabilities of the format.

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  • SippyCup@lemmy.ml ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I stop occasionally use floppies and I can assure you that they do in fact occupy more space than I’d like.

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  • TranquilTurbulence@lemmy.zip ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    That’s just 37 floppy disks of bloat. All you really need is 1.44 MB.

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    • YeahIgotskills2@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Those distros even have a GUI? Amiga Workbench on 720k all the way! 😁

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    • 01189998819991197253@infosec.pub ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Here’s one with a gui lol

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• masterspace@lemmy.ca ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Image

  ---

  reddit.com/…/playing_with_a_retro_floppy_disk_box…

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  • ICastFist@programming.dev ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Never saw one of those before, that looks super neat

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    • TwodogsFighting@lemdro.id ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      They were super expensive, as storage solutions went.

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• IcedRaktajino@startrek.website ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  And a satisfying but not too jarring “thunk” when they seat in correctly.

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  • TedZanzibar@feddit.uk ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Remember how sometimes you’d put the disk in and you could hear the floppy part spinning for a fraction of a second to line up with, I guess the motor head, before it fully clunked in? That shit was peak.

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    • IcedRaktajino@startrek.website ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Brrr-click!

      Yep lol.

      And you could tell by the sound if your read/write operation was going to fail for whatever reason.

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• waggz@programming.dev ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  3.5 disks were my fidget spinners before the term existed. pulling back the slide and letting it snap shut kept my idle brain occupied for hours while waiting for stuff on the computer to happen.

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  • whaleross@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Flashbacks of flipping around a 5¼" floppy disks that were actually floppy and manually spinning the cassette tape wheels while something is loading.

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    • Bluewing@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I have loaded punch cards and punch tape also. The only thing I haven’t loaded is those big open platters. I’ve used 5 1/4" floppies as late as 2017 with an old Apple Lisa and CMM.

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• IWW4@lemmy.zip ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  OP they really were. Back in the day when I was a sysadmin I would keep a bunch of tools on a floppy that I would carry soured as I did user support.

  It was like carrying around a toolbox to work on things.

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  • autriyo@feddit.org ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I still do that but with a usb drive, which is way more capable especially with ventoy on it.

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    • IWW4@lemmy.zip ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Diggit!

      I don’t do sysadmin work anymore, but near the end of my time doing that the network capabilities were much ore stable than what I worked on in the early 2000s so I put them on a share.

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  • miked@piefed.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Lol. I did the same.

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• jballs@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Growing up, my dad used to download a lot of games off BBSes for me and my brother. He would save them on 3.5 floppies and then label what game was on each one. I’ve got fond memories of flipping through his box of floppies seeing what new games he had for us to play.

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• Blackmist@feddit.uk ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  We didn’t stack them though. We kept them in those boxes with a pointless lock, and flipped through them.

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  • inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Image

    The good old days. I wish I still has mine but alas many off my old flipped died in a fire.

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    • SLVRDRGN@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Ah just like flipping through records at a record store.

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  • Damage@slrpnk.net ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Mine lived in the original cardboard boxes

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    • Blackmist@feddit.uk ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Look at Mr Moneybags over here, playing his games without hand written labels and cracktros.

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  • Baggie@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    God that sounds nice actually, I miss it terribly

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• froh42@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Not all drives had buttons. There were workstations (Sun Sparcs) which had. motorized eject mechanisms.

  Used 10 of these workstations to copy my freshly downloaded Slackware Linux to the stack of 60 floppies it took. (Twice, so I wrote 120 disks, as at least one of the disks would have read errors on average). Each time one of the Sparcs was done, it did spit out the disk and I’d insert a new one, labeling the old one with what was written on screen.

  Ah the hours I spent downloading and installing 100-200 Megabytes of operating systems.

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  • ThomasWilliams@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    The MacIntosh did not have an eject button famously.

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  • jerkface@lemmy.ca ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    They still have a button. It’s just hidden and difficult to use.

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• AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  The 3.5” disk was designed as a consumer product by Sony, whose industrial design is second to none. (Compare the 5¼ “ and 8” floppies, which were designed by IBM engineers and only intended for use by technical specialists.)

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  • duncan_bayne@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    … was second to none. Looking at almost illegible black text labels on a black Sony TV enclosure.

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    • d00ery@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      It’s easy to read as long as you have 20/20 vision and are under 25 years old.😂🤓

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• mech@feddit.org ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  I wish they’d make SSDs in a similar format with plug-and-play functionality.
  Stick your disk in and boot from it. Remove after shutdown and take it with you.

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  • WolfLink@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    That’s called a thumb drive and you can do it as long as the computer you are using has the option to boot from USB enabled in BIOS (typically personal machines come with that enabled but machines out in the public often disable it specifically because they don’t want you booting a different OS)

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    • GaMEChld@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      But if it were an NVMe slot… That’d be juicy.

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  • jerkface@lemmy.ca ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    … you can totally do that now?

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    • ptu@sopuli.xyz ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Although possible, it’s not really optimal to run an OS via USB

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    • Jolteon@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Yep, all you have to do is buy a hot swap bay for your computer, and sometimes enable the feature on your motherboard.

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• sheridan@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  For similar reasons, I feel like Gameboy Advanced cartridges were the optimal size for handheld consoles. Switch cartridges are so tiny and fragile.

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  • someguy3@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    SD cards are perfect size. Micro SD feel fragile.

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    • Windex007@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      If you don’t feel like you need to move your feet when you accidentally drop it (to avoid actually toe smack) , it’s too small.

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    • ICastFist@programming.dev ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Agree. Too bad my computers’ built in SD readers never worked, so I have to use a USB stick with SD slot instead

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    • BlackVenom@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      MemoryStick Pro Duo was far worse. Sony, SanDisk, or PNY… Brand didn’t matter… they’d just split open over time. Thankfully Micro SD to MSPD cards came about.

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  • OfficeMonkey@lemmy.today ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Switch cartridges also taste terrible, so simultaneously you need to put them somewhere to be sure you don’t lose them while switching cases AND you don’t want to make the mistake of finding out the hard way because you needed your hands free.

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    • TedZanzibar@feddit.uk ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      They taste that way on purpose to stop little kids from putting them in their mouths and potentially choking.

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• shyguyblue@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  This and CD caddys. Morning like spending a full minute swapping out the cd in the caddy, then getting that satisfying chunk when the mechanics kick in

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  • Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I never liked cd caddies. The push button, wait for motor to eject, then push button, wait for motor to load was dissociative.

    The floppy drive was a direct mechanical link between the button and eject.

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• worhui@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Zip disks at least the 100’s had the same tactile qualities, little door to fidget and label space all while having that satisfying clicking sound each time you used them.

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• natecox@programming.dev ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  [deleted]

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  • squaresinger@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Btw, how much data fits a 5.25 magnetic disk when using modern tech?

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• A_norny_mousse@feddit.org ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  The labeling was a good thing, and stackability, but otherwise I prefer USB sticks. Esp. since even an old one can easily replace thousands of disks. 1GB==711floppies

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  • IrateAnteater@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I kind of wish that something along the lines of the old PCMCIA format had survived. Flat, stackable, big enough for easy labelling, and these days could easily fit many terabytes of flash storage.

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    • altkey@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      SATA SSDs, if only there were floppy-like docks in PCs’ front panels for them. I see adding one usb-c female adapter as a part of the protective case, and adding a male one on the opposite end of the dock could’ve been the way, since modern USB ports have sufficient power and data capabilities. Adapter’s firmware could’ve signaled it’s nothing more than a big USB thumb drive, it can also be (made?) compatible with portable devices e.g. digital cameras, phones, etc to make it more useful.

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    • Xaphanos@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      A future that never was.

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  • ICastFist@programming.dev ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    In regards to tactile feedback, I still prefer diskettes, the larger size makes them easier to grip and pull/push. USB sticks are great for storage nowadays, but pulling one out with one hand can be a small hassle sometimes

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  • myrmidex@belgae.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I’ve never had an issue knowing which side was up on a floppy though. Once USB-C sticks become prevalent, that annoyance will finally be lifted!

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    • A_norny_mousse@feddit.org ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Fair enough, that often makes me swear.

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• GEEXiES@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Not that I don’t agree but… I’d take Mini Disc over them. Really similar but smaller -but not to the point of losing tactility or nice labels- and I love the eject mechanism of some players/recorders. Amazing mix of cassette tapes (usability) and CDs (capacity, non-linearity…), kinda late to the party.

  UMDs are cool too, thought not as much IMHO.

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• CombatWombatEsq@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Incorrect. 5.25” floppies are peak tactile. Giving them a little wooble before inserting into the A: drive was the best feeling in computing.

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  • underisk@lemmy.ml ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Doesn’t compare to the satisfying click of playing with the forbidden spring loaded metal door.

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    • night_petal@lemmy.zip ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      They had better than that with a lever you turn into place. You got both a spring loaded click and turning a lever.

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  • _haha_oh_wow_@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    [wobble noises intensify]

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• DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Certainly better than the 5 1/4" floppies they replaced.

  But, installing big programs, like Photoshop, off a stack of 30 or 40 disks was a hassle. Imagine Photoshop fitting in 40 MB, tho.

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  • justOnePersistentKbinPlease@fedia.io ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Duke Nukem 3D Demo.

    62 floppy disks.

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• tigeruppercut@lemmy.zip ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Still remember my friend making a copy of doom 2 for me using pkzip… I think it took about 10 disks.

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  • Damage@slrpnk.net ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    pkzip

    Phil Katz, what a sad story

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    • d00ery@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Interesting story with a sad and premature end. I’d not heard of the guy before today.

      en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Katz

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  • ICastFist@programming.dev ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    NES roms were the way to go. You could pack the emulator + a couple of games in a single 1.44MB floppy no problem.

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    • tigeruppercut@lemmy.zip ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      That would’ve been great. I don’t think I was aware of emulators until well after I’d stopped using floppies though. Looks like the first widespread emulator was iNES in 96 and then Nesticle in 97, though apparently someone made a very early Famicom one in 1990!

      www.retroreversing.com/nes-emulation

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• plyth@feddit.org ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  3.5" were peak tactile feedback

  I hear you

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• _haha_oh_wow_@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  MicroSD cards fit these requirements too

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  • colourlessidea@sopuli.xyz ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    big enough to get labels

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    • _haha_oh_wow_@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      You can label them with smol labels, that’s what I do with all of mine! They’re full of movies, books, and video game installs.

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  • Michal@programming.dev ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    No, but SD/MMC do. Micro SD are so small they’re awkward to carry and store.

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    • _haha_oh_wow_@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I disagree, MicroSD is my external storage of choice. Their size makes them ideal to carry and store but you might need to rethink how you go about doing it.

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• Zamboni_Driver@lemmy.ca ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Didn’t take much space, lol I remember the huge cases people used to buy to store them all.

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• Kyrgizion@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  I liked the sound they made. People have been using them to make music for ages. Best is still imperial march played on 48 floppy drives (or thereabouts).

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• headset@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Oh look! Another nostalgia bullshit from someone who clearly never used a fucking floppy disk.

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• Chadsalot@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  And then the button jams 😞

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• jerkface@lemmy.ca ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  5 1/4"'s smell better.

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• remon@ani.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  CD (and derivatives) have all of these features as well and orders of magnitude more capacity.

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• zr0@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  sad minidisk noises

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• Kolanaki@pawb.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  I fail to see how this is better than CDs or DVDs. They had the same advantages you mention here. You can label them. They’re super thin and easily stacked, especially with a spindle. They also easily inserted and removed from the drive at the press of a button. All that, and with a way higher storage capacity.

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• rbos@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  I had a cool little leather wallet that held 2 3.5" disks. Felt like a pro every time i flipped it open.

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