[vcf-midatlantic] How To Geek article on floppy data recovery

[Jeffrey Brace]

On Sat, May 2, 2020 at 3:56 PM Herb Johnson via vcf-midatlantic <
vcf-midatlantic at lists.vcfed.org> wrote:

> Jeff Brace suggests:
>
>
> https://www.howtogeek.com/669331/how-to-read-a-floppy-disk-on-a-modern-pc-or-mac/
>
> A link to a literally geeky article, mostly on using USB devices that
> happen to operate certain floppy drives. Then it gets to real methods:
> find an old PC or Mac, read your disks, transfer the results (somehow).
> The article finishes up its review of USB devices to read common PC 3.5
> / 5.25 diskettes and Mac 3.5" diskettes, with this wise advice for REAL
> floppy diskettes:
>
> "Luckily, there are other resources if you require something more
> complex, like accessing an 8-inch floppy drive that contains CP/M files.
> http://www.retrotechnology.com/herbs_stuff/s_drives_howto.html
>
>   Herb Johnson maintains an impressive site full of technical data on
> various floppy disk systems if you’d like to learn more about how they
> work."
>
> http://www.retrotechnology.com/herbs_stuff/s_drives.html
>
> I couldn't have said it better myself. ;) The real meat on floppy drives
> and diskettes is:
>
> http://www.retrotechnology.com/herbs_stuff/drive.html
>
> I was going to post a more considered response to the article Jeff
> linked to. But Jeff only posted a link, why should I post a lecture in
> reply?
>

Part of my charm is simplicity.  It often inspires discussion. One thing I
was hoping was for people to chime in on the fact that there are vintage
computer enthusiasts that have the original machines and artifacts to
retrieve from floppies instead of modern emulators and devices.


>
> I'll just say, that description and the modern items it references,
> versus the ancient things it references; simply reminds me of the gulf
> between 21st century consumer-digital-users, and 20th century computer
> owners and those who restore those systems and objects today. And, the
> kinds of junk that's sold which pretends to be some kind of "USB to
> floppy drive" device. I'm glad to find, my Web site still has utility;
> and why that's so.
>

Well said Herb!



>
> Regards, Herb
>
> --
> Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey in the USA
> http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net
> preserve, recover, restore 1970's computing
> email: hjohnson AT retrotechnology DOT com
> or try later herbjohnson AT retrotechnology DOT info
>


-- 
=========================================
Jeff Brace
Vice President & Board Member, VCF East Showrunner
Vintage Computer Federation
http://www.vcfed.org/
jeffrey at vcfed.org