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Originally posted by Frogger
Asher, what about transferring files from work/school to the house?
I do this constantly, daily in fact.
As I said, modern schools give out FTP and email accounts.
Like we've said, online transfers are not always possible, CD-RW drives are rare in offices/schools, USB devices require programs to be installed, which requires administrative privileges.
Online transfers are usually available, your school/work admins can install those programs (seeing as how lots of people wouldn't be able to use floppies) for USB drives.
You're left with floppies as the media of choice.
Perhaps if you go to some underfunded school or a place of work with really old computers and anal IT bosses who don't care if you can transfer files, then you can still use a floppy.
For most people, floppies just aren't needed anymore.
JohnT: You've completely ignored the fact that you can still buy floppy drives...they're just not going to be shipped by default because it's time to move on.
Continuing to complain about it is crying. Most people don't need it, it's better in the longrun to ditch it. If your school/company refuses to get with the time, you can still use a floppy.
Boohoo.
"The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "
Originally posted by Paul Hanson
To give an example of why Dell's move is premature (not unnecessary, but premature) is this: I have two computers here at uni: my desktop PC and my laptop. Neither are state of the art; although my desktop PC has a CD-writer, it's still a P166. My laptop is a 486, and has no CD-ROM and only a 200 meg hard disk. I use it to type stuff up when I'm in the library, and to transfer the files to my other computer (to print, for example), I have no choice but to use a floppy.
You can't get a network card for your laptop?
"The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "
I'm looking at my brand new computer here at work and I see:
4 CD bays, 1 used.
2 Floppy bays, 1 used.
So what exactly is the pressing need to get rid of these things? Who gives a rats-ass if they're "antiquated" - so's the QWERTY keyboard layout, and I don't see people whining about that. Point is, just because YOU don't understand why people use them doesn't mean that people DON'T use them. I believe that is called "hubris."
Asher, you've got half of people here who are complaining about it, and I've got a secret for you: this place is filled with more "connected" people than the overall population.
This is stupid, stupid, stupid. There's almost no upside for Dell or Intel or whatever, and there's a huge downside.
"As I said, modern schools give out FTP and email accounts. "
No, as we are trying to explain to you, your school gives out FTP and email accounts.
"You can't get a network card for your laptop?"
Are you purposely misunderstanding everything that is being posted about this subject? Now, if it helps your ego to define "modern" as "what people and things around my little sphere of influence do", please, by all means, go ahead.
"JohnT: You've completely ignored the fact that you can still buy floppy drives...they're just not going to be shipped by default because it's time to move on.
Continuing to complain about it is crying. Most people don't need it, it's better in the longrun to ditch it. If your school/company refuses to get with the time, you can still use a floppy.
Boohoo."
This was so pathetic, it wasn't even funny. Once again, your lack of experience in the real world is showing. "Just buy a floppy for your work computer." Jesus!
Originally posted by JohnT
I'm looking at my brand new computer here at work and I see:
4 CD bays, 1 used.
2 Floppy bays, 1 used.
Hey, lots of space for a floppy drive if you still need one. Kudos.
Who gives a rats-ass if they're "antiquated"
Because when people give me a floppy with a file on it, it's annoying as hell. They're soooo slooooooooow, people beg me all the time to find out why their floppy isn't working and ask me to salvage data from it, they've got a pathetic storage capacity which would probably hold 1 500 word Office 11 file and take 2 minutes to save it.
so's the QWERTY keyboard layout, and I don't see people whining about that.
You're obviously not in computer science.
I know soooo many people *****ing about QWERTY keyboards.
And it's a totally different argument. QWERTY isn't obsolete, it's just not the most optimum technique. Floppies are just plain obsolete.
Point is, just because YOU don't understand why people use them doesn't mean that people DON'T use them. I believe that is called "hubris."
While people may still use them, it's time they stopped. And in order to stop, somebody needs to give them a kick in the butt.
Because Dell wants to save $2 per unit?
As far as I know they add on the cost of the floppy anyway.
It's a move in the industry to move away from it. It's not to save money, it's to give people a kick in the ass to look at the better alternatives.
"The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "
Remember when the 5" floppy drives were the standard when the new 3.25" floppies were introduced? At one point the industry decided to stop shipping 5" floppies on computers and ship 3.25" instead. The same thing is happening now, 3.25" going out the window and being replaced by CD-RW and USB. The people who really need the old floppies can still use them. But over time people finally get rid of the old, and in with the new...
"The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "
And how many years has USB started shipping standard, Frogger?
"The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "
Okay, I do work at Dell, but I don't have anything to do with the desktop division.
That said, this is a good move. I haven't touched a floppy in ages. They just don't work that well with modern bloatware.
--"I don't understand this. How much do floppy drives cost? 5$? 15$?"
$5 is probably about right, in bulk. However, that's not the only cost. Another thing to install, so the labor cost goes up. Another thing to support (and floppy drives are relatively highly failure prone) so support costs go up.
--" it is often difficult to get permission to install programs like the driver for a USB device (they do require a driver, right?)"
Not for anything like Windows 2000 or XP. I bought a nice 64 MB USB Flash drive at Fry's a couple weeks ago (for $10, mind). No drivers, just plug it in and copy. Don't know about 95 or 98, but I doubt you'll be getting one of the new Dells with those installed.
Also, about having the ports in the rear, every single USB flash device I've seen comes with a USB cable so you can plug it in the back and plug the drive to the cable in front.
As far as losing them goes, well, that may be a problem for you. I'd be far more worried about the data on the disc or drive than about the cost of the drive itself. The data is generally going to be worth more anyway. At least the USB flash ones allow some form of security/encryption.
--"So what exactly is the pressing need to get rid of these things?"
Depends on the system. My home machine has two of the larger external bays filled (two open) and only one floppy sized external bay (filled). It's a mid-tower, so drive space isn't a big issue.
However, there is a trend towards smaller PCs now. Shuttle, for instance, has been on this bandwagon. So has Dell, with the recent OptiPlex SX260, for instance.
--"so's the QWERTY keyboard layout, and I don't see people whining about that."
I see people whining about that ^_^
In any case, this is what the free market is all about. If enough people use floppies, Dell will put them back to keep sales.
Wraith
"What do you mean by 'RAM DISK is not an installation procedure' ?"
How many since USB media came standard (drivers and a device)? 0 or 1
This is a huge inconvenience for the average work or school user.
Wraith: saying it's a free market is fine. I'm not saying that Dell can't do this, but rather that it shouldn't. There's virtually no savings per unit, and the possibility for a lot of lost sales/angry customers.
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