No, the floppy is not (yet) dead. Invented in the 1960s by IBM, the floppy disk was gradually replaced during the 1990s by CDs, then USB keys and other external hard drives.
But for some very specific uses, some companies continue to use them. In particular, they are necessary to be able to perform certain upgrades on end-of-life aircraft models. This is how Davit Niazashvili, maintenance manager at Geosky, an airline based in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, explains it.
While it is possible to modify systems to be able to go from a floppy disk to other external media, such as a USB key or an SD card, this can cost “thousands of dollars and involves modifying a system that, although archaic, is known to work,” he estimates. the American medium.
Most of the companies that still use floppy disks are usually small companies or companies whose means do not allow them to invest in upgrading their equipment.
Sony stopped production in 2010
Beyond the companies, some administrations have also taken the time to catch up. Very popular in Japan, the floppy disks were used by the administration until 2022, the BBC reported. “Some 1,900 government procedures still require companies to use these storage devices, as well as CDs and mini-discs,” said Japan’s digital minister Taro Kono.
Meanwhile, the US military used 8-inch floppy disks as part of its nuclear arsenal until 2019.
Willingly or by force, nostalgics may be forced to do without this outdated storage space. Sony, the last major maker of floppy disks, ceased production in 2010. So the machines that depend on it keep running thanks to stocks, which keep flowing until they run out.
Source: BFM TV
