RLG DigiNews
December 16, 2004
The latest issue of RLG DigiNews is up. Several good articles are included: one on the impending demise of the floppy (LiB raises a resounding "hurrah!"), "PREMIS — Preservation Metadata Implementation Strategies Update 2: Core Elements for Metadata to Support Digital Preservation," and "X Marks the Spot: The Role of Geographic Location in Metadata Schemas and Digital Collections." Good stuff.
December 17th, 2004 at 7:03 am
Why the hurrah for the death of the floppy? I think they’ve got some advantages over CD-RWs and flash memory and am sad to see them go.
December 17th, 2004 at 8:23 am
Well, my “hurrah” is because as a media for storage, they are rather fragile. Some of our staff use them as permanent storage media (although, less do now than did before my “Files” training). They’re so susceptible to heat, physical stress, magnetism, etc. and they do not hold enough files for many people. I know several people who have stacks of 30 floppies, and that’s their file back-up system! I do agree they have advantages over CDs (quicker file burn time, for example, and no special burning software required), but what about over flash drives? Do tell! I’m interested to hear a counter-argument…
December 17th, 2004 at 5:51 pm
The big one? Cost. Floppies are ridiculously fragile (I get to spend lots of time explaining that to patrons), but for the casual user who just typed something and realized they need to finish it later, a floppy is great. Pay a buck for one and you’re set. Also good as a cheap way to pass information. And around here, a lot of public computing places don’t like granting access to USB ports yet but allow floppy access.
December 18th, 2004 at 3:30 pm
Okay, I see what you mean about quick & inexpensive storage–and drive access. But many computers being built now don’t even have floppy drives by default–they’re an “add-on.” I think public computing labs are going to have to offer CD burning or USB access pretty soon, just to meet the need for storage. Maybe it’s just in my area, but a lot of our patrons come in with USB drives and are really happy when they see we have the ports accessible…
December 19th, 2004 at 8:33 am
That’s all true, even here. We had some of the USB ports enabled several years ago and we just had all 40 public computers’ USB ports enabled because of growing demand, and we’re agitating for more computers with CD-burners, which seems to be in the works. We also try to warn people buying a new computer that it probably won’t have a floppy drive (after we got a few hysterical phone calls). I’m still not happy about it, though. People have been very resistant to buying the USB flash storage we sell in our little store due to the price, and they’re sometimes flummoxed by the CD burning process. I just think for the price and ease of use, floppies can be great, and I don’t want to see them go just because manufacturers want to see them go. Besides, I’d hate to see all my stuck-floppy-removal skills and stuck-floppy-metal-guard-removal skills languish!