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[JGO]

http://www.alphr.com/security/1003558/us-uses-floppy-disks-to-coordinate-nuclear-weapons

The point isn't mentioned that proving high reliability takes a long time. Cynics would say that is why it is obsolete but reliability should have a higher priority than  intellectual pleasure in any application.

[Chrysalis]

ok but I dont consider floppies to be proven reliable, at least the 3inch variant anyway.

I remember so many times a floppy worked, stored it for a year, then had issues reading.  But like all things it wouldnt surprise me if there was more expensive durable variants which were actually much more reliable.

Oh the days of having 4 external drives hooked to my amiga to avoid disk swapping

For me what is the most reliable and portable external media now days is usb sticks.  Have yet to have one fail or even struggle to read/write data.  The downside is tho you cannot really label them so e.g. I might have a batch on my desk and forget which has the data I want.

[vic0239]

I recall from my early days as a computer operator in the 1970s that floppy disks were used on the IBM System/370 mainframe computers for loading the initial microcode into the system, Initial Control Program Load (ICPL). I recall they were rather large compared to the later commercially available ones. It is incredible that such systems are still in use today, especially this application! 

[JGO]

 It is incredible that such systems are still in use today, especially this application!

WHY !  do you equate old with bad ?
  I have just had news of a baby born using a method some 2000 years old, (and Julius Caesar was a success even if he met a sticky end).



.   

[Ronski]

I think I will be more worried when they update the system......sorry Windows crashed and set off a nuke!

[sevenlayermuddle]

I remember a story from 1970s, haven't found it online but I believe it to be true...

The Americans captured a crashed soviet airforce  jet and, of course, took it apart to see what it was made of.  They laughed when they discovered the jet's electronics were of 1950s vintage, using thermionic valves rather than ICs, or even discrete transistors.

Some time later, the penny dropped, the Soviets were actually quite clever....  Thermionic valves would survive the EMP from a nuke, that would have wiped out solid state electronics.   

[JGO]

The Americans captured a crashed soviet airforce  jet and, of course, took it apart to see what it was made of.  They laughed when they discovered the jet's electronics were of 1950s vintage, using thermionic valves rather than ICs, or even discrete transistors.

Think I remember the story too.   That is what happens when people are brainwashed into believing it is unpatriotic not to buy a new car or w.h.y. every other year. " Support the guys in Detroit ! "

[broadstairs]

I recall from my early days as a computer operator in the 1970s that floppy disks were used on the IBM System/370 mainframe computers for loading the initial microcode into the system, Initial Control Program Load (ICPL). I recall they were rather large compared to the later commercially available ones. It is incredible that such systems are still in use today, especially this application! 

I certainly remember these and as I recall they were very reliable, I don't remember ever having to change one because it failed and yes they were not the same size as those familiar with the early PC days remember. However they were not used or abused in the same way as PC ones 

Stuart

[WWWombat]

As I left university, I started work on a large PABX system that used an 8" floppy to boot from. 30 years on, they appear to be reaching end-of-life next year.

When companies install things like this, or governments invest in nuclear deterrence, they want them to just work. Forever.