Overheard a guy at the swap meet call old floppy drives 'useless junk'

He said they were just for decoration now, but I've got a working Apple IIe that needs a 5.25 inch drive to load software. That specific hardware is the only way to run original programs without emulation. Anyone know a good source for belts that won't turn to goo in a year?

3 comments

3 Comments

cole_bailey854d ago

That "useless junk" line gets me. It's not just about running old programs. Those drives are time capsules for data that never got copied. I've pulled family photos and early digital art off disks that would be lost forever. The belts are a real problem though. I've had good luck with the rubber ones from a seller called "Console5." They last a few years in my experience, which is about as good as it gets.

ivan_perez1d ago

Time capsules" is a good way to put it, @cole_bailey85, I used to think it was just junk too.

ryan_hayes24d ago

Man that attitude is everywhere now. It's like if something isn't the newest model it's automatically trash. People forget that old tech is how we got here, and sometimes it's the only key to open a door. Good on you for keeping that Apple IIe alive. I'll have to check out that Console5 tip for belts too.