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5.25" floppy with write-protect "slider"

Chuck(G)

Chuck(G)

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I tore open a new package of DSDD 5.25" floppies yesterday and was surprised to see that these are equipped with a small aluminum "slider" for write protection. Kind of cool, really.

Has anyone else ever run into these? They're not branded--I probably picked these up around 25-30 years ago.
 
I have never even heard of such a disk. Unbranded just seems odd. That is the sort of thing that would be emblazoned on the box marking the disks as new and improved.
 
Neat! Never seen that before, myself. The sticky protect tabs never seem to stay with the diskette, I almost always end up with either Scotch tape over the paper write protect label, or just a piece of black electrical tape over the notch.
 
glitch said:
... The sticky protect tabs never seem to stay with the diskette, I almost always end up with either Scotch tape over the paper write protect label, or just a piece of black electrical tape over the notch.
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Just like with diskette labels there are both good and bad write-protect tabs. Along with the stay-on-forever labels I also have some of the reliably sticky write-protect tabs. Look here for the labels. If you want some of either the labels or tabs... lemme know.
 
SomeGuy said:
If ChuckG hasn't seen them before, then really, what are the chances anyone else has? :)
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Presumably the manufacturer had employees.

I would love seeing a disassembled disk but those might be the only prototype disks to have left the factory.
 
Oh ye of little faith...

Look here The slider is positioned half-open for illustration.

It's pretty clever--the slider has a slight protrusion so it can be slid with a fingernail easily, yet remains firmly in place.

This is a pack of duplicator-grade floppies, so no ID on them.
 
Unbranded, odd? I've hundreds. They used to come in a pack of 50 with shrink wrap. I may actually have one of those packs somewhere.

Can't say I ever saw sliding write protect tabs before, though. 'Twould be nice if most of them had em.
 
KC9UDX said:
Unbranded, odd? I've hundreds. They used to come in a pack of 50 with shrink wrap. I may actually have one of those packs somewhere.

Can't say I ever saw sliding write protect tabs before, though. 'Twould be nice if most of them had em.
Click to expand...

I have many unbranded disks too. Advanced rare features don't show up there; most don't even have printed lot numbers. Premium disks get premium labels and adding a slider to the disk has to increase cost at least a little. There must be a fun story as to how these disks slipped out into the world.
 
"If ChuckG hasn't seen them before, then really, what are the chances anyone else has?" I was thinking the same thing, I am pretty sure he has forgot more about disks than most of us would every know.
 
I did find several patents for read/write slider add-ons for 5.25" diskettes. The Zschau and O'Neill versions specify a metal slider. Someone with better shape recognition than me might be able to determine if the disk in question resembles any of the patented designs.

https://www.google.com/patents/US4521820 James D. Fann

https://www.google.com/patents/US4618060 Norman D. Tarter

https://www.google.com/patents/US4771354 Leo F. Zschau for Lotus Development

https://www.google.com/patents/US4860142 Anthony L. DiGiesi

https://www.google.com/patents/US4969060 Richard J. O'Neill
 
I haven't seen these before. When I become a billionaire and open up a new floppy & tape media factory, I'll definitely make these in both 5.25" and 8". I'll even make flippy versions! :)
 
The one I have resembles the Tarter version, but isn't quite the same. For one, it's quite a bit wider than just the WP notch. If you will, imagine a strip of metal that's about twice as wide as the notch, but has a notch cut into it to match. As a result there's no tendency to "wiggle" sideways. It's clearly a folded-over piece of sheet metal, however, at least in the "notch" area.
 
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