Back when things came with real documentation.
3M Diskette Reference Manual (1983) [pdf]
11–20 of 42 posts
Re: 3M Diskette Reference Manual (1983) [pdf]
#12I get a 403 error. Any mirrors?
Same here. Even going directly to the front page it's a 403.
Looks like it's on the Internet Archive https://web.archive.org/web/20241104214425/https://retrocmp....
Re: 3M Diskette Reference Manual (1983) [pdf]
#13It's interesting that the index hole is not on y-axis, if it is actually used to allow operations. I used all my SS 5.25" as DS just by flipping them I think, and they just worked. You weren't supposed to do that, but all the SS diskettes were coated on the other side, so you just fliped it and it would work, but it wouldn't be certified for that use case.
Re: 3M Diskette Reference Manual (1983) [pdf]
#14It's interesting that the index hole is not on y-axis, if it is actually used to allow operations. I used all my SS 5.25" as DS just by flipping them I think, and they just worked. You weren't supposed to do that, but all the SS diskettes were coated on the other side, so you just fliped it and it would work, but it wouldn't be certified for that use case.
From what I heard, the index hole was not used except by extremely old systems; i.e. IBM PCs never used them.
Re: 3M Diskette Reference Manual (1983) [pdf]
#15Includes a bit about manufacturing process and disk writing as well. Amazing!
Re: 3M Diskette Reference Manual (1983) [pdf]
#16For all of computing eternity, the only person I've ever heard refer to it as a "diskette" is icon-lady Susan Kare.
Re: 3M Diskette Reference Manual (1983) [pdf]
#17At 1,685,278 bytes this almost fits on within the hallowed 1.44 megabytes. Maybe the front and rear covers can be discarded?
Re: 3M Diskette Reference Manual (1983) [pdf]
#18Just recently I wanted to show my kids the 5.25" floppy disk - I had a small stack somewhere, but could not find it. I have finally found an 3½" floppy and have shown it to my kids (14 y.o. max). Evidently they never used such a thing, but I was genuinely surprised they didn't even know what it was. After a considerable amount of time one of my daughters hesitated but said something like: "Wasn't it like old USB stick thingy?". Given they have no USB stick either that's not bad, I guess. Then I proceeded to explain that a floppy disk is pictured on Save buttons - you just had to see their faces, it was a moment of the big revelation.
Re: 3M Diskette Reference Manual (1983) [pdf]
#19such a clean documentation, that's actually inspiring
Re: 3M Diskette Reference Manual (1983) [pdf]
#20Just recently I wanted to show my kids the 5.25" floppy disk - I had a small stack somewhere, but could not find it. I have finally found an 3½" floppy and have shown it to my kids (14 y.o. max). Evidently they never used such a thing, but I was genuinely surprised they didn't even know what it was. After a considerable amount of time one of my daughters hesitated but said something like: "Wasn't it like old USB stic…
Since they have never seen floppy disks before, why were you surprised that they did not recognize what they were?