> On 09/10/2023 3:00 PM CDT Fred Cisin via cctalk <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
> On Sun, 10 Sep 2023, Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote:
> > Now, let's talk about 2.8" and 3.25" drives; UK readers are certainly
> > familiar with 3.0 inch CF drives used on Amstrads.
> Amdek? sold a dual 3" drive in USA, marketed as external drives.
> There were ads for it in one or more of the Coco magazines.
>
> And there were ads for it as external drives for Apple2!
> Q: were those different electronics? OR did they include an FDC for
> Apple2?
>
>
> 3.25:
> The three leading contenders for "Shirt pocket disks" were 3", 3.25", and
> 3.5". There were many others, such as a 3.9" that IBM was rumored to be
> planning.
> But, for shirt pocket puspose, 3" seems the most promising.
> There was extensive argument in the trade journals.
> George Morrow said, "Why don't we get the clothing industry to make
> shirt pockets 5.25 inch?"
>
> Dysan did not want such an extreme retooling, so they were pushing the
> 3.25", which was basicaally a smaller 5.25", with a metal hub. They
> reasoned that whichever size had the most software would end up being the
> winner. So, Dysan set up an enormous software publishing venture. Before
> there were any machines using 3.25", you could purchase most of the major
> software packages on 3.25" disks! I ended up with a few drives and disks
> from Micropro.
>
> But, then HP and Apple both went with 3.5".
> When IBM went with 3.5" (PS/2, PC-DOS 3.20), the coffin was nailed shut.
> Seequa Chameleon 325 seems to have been the only machine that made it to
> market with 3.25" drives.
>
> Dysan had invested so much into their software publishing venture to
> promote 3.25" that, when 3.25" died, they couldn't ever recover. R.I.P.
>
>
> --
> Grumpy Ol' Fred [email protected]
I make an official motion that Fred write his own "Everything I Know About
Floppy Disks" page / book /encyclopedia.
I suspect that what is inside his head is the greatest collection of knowledge
about floppies on the planet.
Fred, you will be paid with great admiration and appreciation. Sorry, all I
can offer. :-)
Anyone with me?
Will
If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't
assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless
immensity of the sea.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
