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Tom
Persky runs floppydisk.com, a California-based online disk
recycling service that takes in new and used disks before
sending them onto a reliable customer base - he reckons he sells
about 500 disks a day.
Who buys floppy disks in an age when more sophisticated storage
devices like CD-ROMS, DVDs and USB flash drives have been made
increasingly obsolete by internet and cloud storage? Those in
the embroidery, tools and dye, and airline industry, especially
those involved in aircraft maintenance, says Persky.
"If you built a plane 20 or 30 or even 40 years ago, you would
use a floppy disk to get information in and out of some of the
avionics of that airplane," said 73-year-old Persky.
At his warehouse, shelves are packed with bright green, orange,
blue, yellow or black disks sent from around the world. At one
end sits a large magnetic machine with a conveyor belt that
wipes out information on disks, while another machine slaps
labels on them.
The warehouse also holds 8-inch floppy disks - an even older
storage medium - including one labeled as containing the 1960
John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon U.S. presidential debate.
Despite being a relic in the modern world, Persky says floppy
disks have several redeeming qualities.
"Floppy disks are very reliable, very stable, a very well
understood way to get information in and out of a machine," he
says. "Plus, they have the additional feature of not being very
hackable."
Persky ended up in the floppy disk business after working in
software development for a tax company in the 1990s that
duplicated its software onto floppy disks. He says he fell in
love with the business and took it on after it was spun off.
But he is not expecting it to survive another 20 years.
"When I see the 'save' icon, I see a floppy disk. But most
people just see the 'save' icon," Persky said.
"I'll be here for as long as people continue to want to have
these disks. But it's not forever."
(Writing by Deepa Babington; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
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