Do people use floppy disks today?

Answer 1

I still use floppy disks for backing up some small files, like Word Documents, Text Files, and small "WAV file sound effects when I don't have any CDs or my flash drive is full.

I still have some old DOS games on floppy that I still play sometimes, though I have them backed up on CD, but I still play the games on Floppy if I can't find the CD.

I also maintain an Emergency Boot Disk, in case my computer crashes or gets hit by a virus and I need to go into DOS to resurrect the computer.

My School has older computers in the Social Studies computer lab that has computers with floppy disks, but I've never used them, I have a Pen drive for that! But I've seen the School IT guy use them to keep these old machines going.

My current Workplace has a few older printing presses that need to be "calibrated" using 4 unmarked floppy disks, in order, or the margins will be off and that docked from your pay. Luckily they copies of copies of copies of the original disks and they are different colors, so they always go Yellow-Blue-Black-Grey, Yellow-Blue-Black-Grey, etc.

The U.S. Government has a protocol that sensitive, classified military documents, such as Nuclear Defense Information, that was written in the 1980s, when floppy disks were the only way to distribute computer information. It would cost so much to transfer all the information to a more modern format, dispose of the old disks and write new protocol that they continue to use floppy disks to distribute this information in 2010 as they did in the 1980s.

There are a lot of older technology still in daily use that requires the use of floppy disks, like industrial equipment and cash registers. I went shopping early at a thrift store (shortly after they opened) once and I had to wait for them to boot the register from 3 floppy disks to buy some clothes, this was in 2008, too!

I remember saving some songs I had composed on an electric keyboard using a integrated floppy disk and could play them as "MIDI" files either on the keyboard or on my computer! But that was back in 2003.

Older digital cameras store their pictures on a floppy disk, also. Most of those cameras are of better quality than the modern, cheap flash-based digital cameras, film-like without the film. Though many of these have been abandoned in favor of new, flsh-based cameras.

Many Developing and Third-World countries use older, obsolete computers that have no other way to transfer and store data than floppy drives, after the developed world deemed them to be "obsolete" and were considered "junk" their still serving Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Islands as daily work-horses in homes, schools, hospitals, businesses and government offices.

As you can see floppy disks are still used, just usually as a legacy system, once all these technologies clunk out, they will be obsolete.

Answer 2

They are very rarely used but, yes, some older computers still have a spot for them. Today, however, more thumb drives and CDs are used to store files and data. Floppy disks can be used but a better idea are the two of the above and dop box websites.

Answer 3

Floppy disks are still used in a variety of machines (not desktop computers) that were built for years after the floppy was introduced. These machines (such as embroidery machines, machine tool devices, pianos, and some medical equipment) were built to last decades and are still in use.

Floppy disks are also used for art projects and promotional purposes. For a great example, check out www.nickgentry.com.

Answer 4

Floppy discs are barely used today. There are very few companies that still manufacture the discs.

Answer 5

Yes, although they are not in as much demand, and therefore not produced as much. Some stores, such as Wal-Mart, may still stock them. You can also purchase them online in various quantities.

Answer 6

Yes, if you are building a computer there is no reason to get a floppy disc drive.

Answer 7

Yes they are.