The last person standing in the floppy disk business (eyeondesign.aiga.org)

Article summary

Tom Persky, the founder of floppydisk.com, is one of the last people still selling and recycling floppy disks. His company provides services such as disk transfers and sells used and broken floppy disks to artists. Despite the decline of the floppy disk industry, Persky's business has found a niche in supplying industrial users who still rely on the technology. He has a large inventory of floppy disks and expects to remain in business for at least another four years.

Main themes

• floppy disks
• retro technology
• file transfer
• industrial applications
• cloud storage
• Bluetooth headphones
• tech nostalgia
• obsolescence and adaptation

What commenters say

• The removal of the floppy disk drive from the iMac in 1998 marked a significant shift towards using the internet for file transfer.
• Some people still use floppy disks and other outdated technology for specific purposes, such as industrial applications or retro computing.
• The transition to newer storage technologies like USB drives and cloud storage was not always smooth, with some people experiencing difficulties with data transfer and storage.
• The development of hardware emulators and other workarounds has made it possible to continue using older technologies like floppy disks with modern computers.
• Some commenters reminisce about the past and the challenges of transferring files without modern technology, while others discuss the benefits and drawbacks of newer technologies like Bluetooth headphones.
• The use of floppy disks and other outdated technologies can be driven by nostalgia or the need for compatibility with older systems.
• The rise of cloud storage and online file transfer has changed the way people share and store data, but some people still prefer to use physical storage media.
• The removal of the headphone jack from newer devices has been a point of contention, with some people preferring wired headphones and others finding Bluetooth technology to be sufficient.