Okay, okay, I know that most of you stopped using floppies long ago. But my question is: I was about to buy a Buslink external USB floppy disk drive (brand new, still sealed) from someone on Craigslist, and just wondered if it's a decent brand.
And would have I have by anything extra, other than perhaps a cord? Apologies for my ignorance.
What is the inteface that it uses? Is it a standard floppy controller interface (not often found on current computers), USB, RS-232, what? That is the question. The cable is probibly the easy part. How it connects to the system something else entirely. There are a number of after-market floppy drives that have USB interconnections. Also, is this a 3 1/2" 1.44MB drive that you need? Here is a link to such that you can purchase new for $9.99 USD including shipping (warranteed): http://www.rakuten.com/prod/3-5-external-usb-2-0-portable-1-44mb-floppy-disk-drive-diskette-fdd/266887473.html
The vendor, Rakuten (formerly Buy.com) is a reliable vendor that I have used for most of my computer hardware add-on gear for many years. They have other similar devices at various prices, but most seem to be in the $10 to $15 range for an external USB floppy drive.
P.S. I may buy one myself since I would like to get some of my old R&D code off of floppies and all of my old systems that have floppies haven't been fired up for years. Who knows if they still run? I would first have to clean them out of the rodent nests or dust bunnies that likely inhabit them... :-) Ten bucks would be worth the investment.
Rubberman, I really appreciate your thorough reply, but I'm foundering in my ignorance. I don't know anything about interfaces, but yes, it's for 3.5 floppies. I'll make a note of Rakuten for the future, thanks, but for this I'd just as soon buy locally via CL.
This is a link to the item, if that helps.
http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/sys/4640638084.html
Unfortunately the link is no longer active so I can't say whether or not it may be appropriate for you. In any case, a usb device should suit you well.
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