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February 28, 2006
Organizing Your E-Life
Back in the '80s, 5.5-in floppy disks were the most popular portable electronic storage medium. Today, the smaller 3.5-in floppy disk is rapidly losing ground to two other storage media: CDs/DVDs and USB drives (aka "flash," "thumb," or "go" drives). While your basic letter, term paper, or resume will fit nicely on a floppy disk, more and more of our patrons are discovering how vulnerable these disks are. Left on your dashboard or stuffed unprotected into a purse, floppies can easily be damaged. Luckily, technology has progressed, and we have alternatives. Compact disks are available in recordable (CD-R) and rewritable formats (CD-RW). With an average storage capacity of 700 mb, vs 1.44 mb for your average floppy, CDs are the best choice for large text files and photos. If 700 mb doesn't quite meet your needs, consider the new DVD-R and DVD-RW formats, which can store an average of 5 gb worth of print, audio, or video data. Equally handy are the new USB drives. As with most things related to technology, the storage capacity and price of USB drives run in tandem, with a 128-mb drive costing under $13 and an 8-mb drive over $600. If you're interested in shopping for some alternatives to your floppy disk collection, here are some vendors to get you started:
Posted by JudyS at February 28, 2006 02:21 PM