Re: Using 1.2M floppy disks

[erik@hypermall.com (Erik Kloeppel)]

In article <3o28pp$jfr@fullfeed.msn.fullfeed.com>,
bpvh@shell1.msn.fullfeed.com (Bradley VonHaden) wrote:

> ctkwan@csd.hku.hk (Doug Kwan ~{9XUq5B~})
> 
> >The problem is that 10 years later I may not be able to buy
> >new 5.25" floppy disks onto which I can unpack games archived
> >eventhough I may still have the games on MO disks and an
> >working apple.
> 
> I know that the magnetic signal (or whatever) on the floppy disks
> degrades over time, but do the disks themselves degrade over time (in
> storage, not use)?
> 
> Is it not OK just to recopy (say moving A to a blank, B to A and so
> one) and thus refresh the magnetic signal every 5 years or so?  That
> and having working and archive copies of the programs should be
> sufficient, right?

I've always been told that the DATA degrades over time with non-use, and
the physical disk degrades over time with use..