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Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2023 June 12

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June 12

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"Flippy disks"

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Hi nerds. I'm trying to understand the scope of the phrase "flippy disk" (a pun on "floppy", meaning that the disk can be flipped around and inserted two ways, so you have side A and B, like a cassette tape).

  • Wikipedia's Floppy disk variants says that a flippy is "a double-sided 5 1⁄4-inch floppy disk", and I'm familiar with that (I used these two-sided disks with a BBC Micro). But it doesn't mention any other sizes.
  • Meanwhile, Wiktionary [1] says it's "an 8-inch or 5.25-inch floppy diskette having storage capacity on both sides". I'm slightly too young to have ever seen an 8-inch floppy disk. Is it true that they could be two-sided?
  • Finally: neither Wikipedia nor Wiktionary mentions the 3" disk (yes, I mean 3", not 3.5"), as used by the ZX Spectrum +3 and the Amstrad CPC. These were definitely two-sided, but I never actually heard them called "flippy disks".

So: which media does the term "flippy disk" actually refer to? Equinox ◑ 05:19, 12 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]

5 1/4 disks. See Double-sided disk. Goes back to about 1984. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1984/03/12/punching-holes-in-disks-a-risky-business-that-saves-money/b2a8f655-c99e-451b-bc22-d74c90610745/ 41.23.55.195 (talk) 07:52, 12 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]
As regards 8" floppies, see List of floppy disk formats#IBM 8-inch formats. IBM produced both DS SD and DS DD 8"floppies, but as a VAX man I only ever used DEC's RX01s which were only SS SD. However I can't recall ever hearing the term "flippies" used by either operators or engineers. Martin of Sheffield (talk) 07:59, 12 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Me neither with the PERQ but I guess the world is a big place. NadVolum (talk) 08:44, 12 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]
All the double-sided floppy disks I ever used were read/written in double-sided floppy disk drives - ie drives with two read/write heads, one either side of the disk. It sounds as if a flippy disk is a double-sided disk used in a single-headed disk drive, and was therefore flipped over to use the second side. This would have required a second write-enable notch on a 5+1⁄4 inch disk envelope. I don't think this was ever done with 3+1⁄2 or 3 inch disks as the disk/drive hardware was not reversible. -- Verbarson  talkedits 12:48, 12 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]
That is how I remember it, though I never handled a flippy. —Tamfang (talk) 15:00, 14 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]
The Spectrum 3+ 3" disks do get a mention. comparable to the "flippy disks" ...  Card Zero  (talk) 12:47, 12 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I think I mis-stated my question. I want to know (for the purpose of Wiktionary, where we define words as a dictionary) which types of disk have really been called "flippy disks". Not which ones can be flipped, but which ones had this name used for them (with evidence like print magazines, or fanzines). Thank you. Right now I'm thinking it was only the 5, and any 3 or 8 inch is a lie. Equinox ◑ 14:44, 12 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]

This advert from 1975, the year before 5 1⁄4 inch disks were introduced, speaks of "floppy/flippy disks", showing a picture of 8-inch disks. And then we became the first company to introduce the “flippy”, the. world’s first two-sided, double-capacity flexible disk initialized on both sides. A proud boast from Information Terminals Corporation, who would later become Verbatim. So, relax, Wiktionary is correct.  Card Zero  (talk) 17:35, 12 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Wow! Well found! NadVolum (talk) 20:30, 12 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]
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