How many of today’s computer users even know what these are?

8-inch_floppy_drive.jpg


Would you believe they’re what the US Air Force has been using for its missile launch control system?

I don’t remember when I last saw one of these.

Five years ago, a CBS 60 Minutes report publicized a bit of technology trivia many in the defense community were aware of: the fact that eight-inch floppy disks were still used to store data critical to operating the Air Force's intercontinental ballistic missile command, control, and communications network. The system, once called the Strategic Air Command Digital Network (SACDIN), relied on IBM Series/1 computers installed by the Air Force at Minuteman II missile sites in the 1960s and 1970s.

Well, the Air Force is finally getting rid of them, converting to “solid state storage.”

More @ Air Force finally retires 8-inch floppies from missile launch control system
I worked on some systems in the Army that still used the 5.25 floppies into the 2000's. It took 25 disks to load it. The green monochrome screen could burn your retinas out , but you could toss those fuckers out of a 2 story window and they would still power up.
 
8-inch_floppy_drive.jpg


Would you believe they’re what the US Air Force has been using for its missile launch control system?

I don’t remember when I last saw one of these.

Five years ago, a CBS 60 Minutes report publicized a bit of technology trivia many in the defense community were aware of: the fact that eight-inch floppy disks were still used to store data critical to operating the Air Force's intercontinental ballistic missile command, control, and communications network. The system, once called the Strategic Air Command Digital Network (SACDIN), relied on IBM Series/1 computers installed by the Air Force at Minuteman II missile sites in the 1960s and 1970s.

Well, the Air Force is finally getting rid of them, converting to “solid state storage.”

More @ Air Force finally retires 8-inch floppies from missile launch control system
Where does the air force get the obsolite computers equipped to read these?

Grow up kid

Nice story
 

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