Throughout the early 1980s, limits of the 5¼-inch format became clear. Originally designed to be more practical than the 8-inch format, it was becoming considered too large; as the quality of recording media grew, data could be stored in a smaller area.
Several solutions were developed, with drives at 2-, 2½-, 3-, 3¼-, 3½- and 4-inches (and Sony’s 90 mm × 94 mm (3.54 in × 3.70 in) disk) offered by various companies. They all had several advantages over the old format, including a rigid case with a sliding metal (or later, sometimes plastic) shutter over the head slot, which helped protect the delicate magnetic medium from dust and damage.
A variant on the Sony design, introduced in 1983 by many manufacturers, was then rapidly adopted. By 1988, the 3½-inch was outselling the 5¼-inch.
Throughout the early 1980s, limits of the 5¼-inch format became clear. Originally designed to be more practical than the 8-inch format, it was becoming considered too large; as the quality of recording media grew, data could be stored in a smaller area. Several solutions were developed, with drives at 2-, 2½-, 3-, 3¼-, 3½- and 4-inches (and Sony’s 90 mm × 94 mm (3.54 in × 3.70 in) disk) offered by various companies. They all had several advantages over the old format, including a rigid case with a sliding metal (or later, sometimes plastic) shutter over the head slot, which helped protect the delicate magnetic medium from dust and damage, and a sliding write protection tab, which was far more convenient than the adhesive tabs used with earlier disks. The established market for the 5¼-inch format made it difficult for these mutually incompatible new formats to gain significant market share. A variant on the Sony design, introduced in 1983 by many manufacturers, was then rapidly adopted. By 1988, the 3½-inch was outselling the 5¼-inch.
Several competing formats were introduced during the early 1980s, but many failed to gain traction due to lack of compatibility and standardization. Sony's 3½-inch disk offered an ideal balance of size, protection, and reliability.
Once adopted by major manufacturers in 1983, the Sony variant quickly gained market share and, by 1988, had overtaken the aging 5¼-inch floppy in both sales and popularity.
While the 5¼-inch floppy served its purpose in early computing, the 3½-inch design was a leap forward in usability and reliability.
These features helped the format dominate by the late 1980s, ultimately becoming the de facto standard for floppy-based storage into the early 1990s.
While the 5¼-inch floppy served its purpose in early computing, the 3½-inch design was a leap forward in usability and reliability.
These features helped the format dominate by the late 1980s, ultimately becoming the de facto standard for floppy-based storage into the early 1990s.