Why is a 'floppy' disk called floppy if it's not.....its hard?

Answer 1

But, original floppy disks were floppy. I barely remember the old 5/1/4" disks, they were floppy and not hard. 3/1/2" disks may have been hard but inside they had a relatively flimsy magnetic disc which was really little more than round magnetic tape. I spent many days just taking them apart because well, they're useless now.

Note, I don't know if that is the real reason they were called floppy disks or not but it's nice to think it is. It may very well be but I wouldn't call any of this fact.

Answer 2

Because original Floppies were floppy. And there were the Hard disks (which are still the same). So the 3 1/2 floppies couldn't be hard disks so the name remained as floppy disks. And it causes many headaches because they are hard and not floppy. But, when they (the 3 1/2 floppies) first came out many people started calling them hard disks (and got a slap on the wrist by computer teachers).

Answer 3

Wow! This question makes me consider how easily people can forget recent history. Aside from the fact that they used to be big black floppy disks. (Old school Oregon Trail.) Both disks run on the same basic concept. There is a thin disk in the middle where the information is stored and read from. So, even when the 3 1/2 came out with their hard exterior there was still a floppy round disk inside.

Answer 4

The original floppy disk, which were about 8 1/2 inches square in size, were floppy. They had a disc of material similar to VCR tape in a paper casing. Over time, they got smaller ( 5 1/4" then 3 1/2") and the paper was replaced by a hard plastic case. But the name "floppy" remained.

Answer 5

The original floppy disks were floppy. This was changed when teh 3.5 inch floppies were introduced, because the floppy floppies were damaged too easily. By then, the disks were already known as floppy disks, so they didn't bother changing the name.

Answer 6

Open up the hard plastic casing of the square we call a floppy disk and inside you will find a disc that is, indeed, floppy.

Answer 7

well its hard but it bends too. You can bend the disk pretty much back and forth and it might wobble alittle. with a cd you can also bend it but it will crack if u bend it too much.

Also if you open the floppy disk you will see a round strip. Thats where data is inside. that film type thing in the floppy is very bendable. you can twist, bend and turn the film thing. Hence the name FLOPPY

Answer 8

back interior the days, "floppy" disks truly have been floppy... the massive 5 a million/4" disks have been versatile adequate which you will basically approximately fold it in a million/2! The call basically caught with the subsequent technology of disks, the three a million/2" ones, as they did the comparable pastime...

Answer 9

the original 5.25" disks were floppy, so the name stuck to the new 3.5" floppies

Answer 10

Inside the plastic case is a soft plastic disk of the same stuff you find in tape reels. It has to be kept in a hard plastic case because it is so soft it would be impossible to use otherwise.