Re: How to use back side of 5.25 diskkette without punching

["jsnospam@cimmeri.com" <js@cimmeri.com>]

> As a matter of fact, if using good media with a low duty cycle (not running constantly from it day after day), disk heads don't get dirty either.>

True.  Also, my observation has been that head debris buildup is more a
result of how much I'm using the drive.   Modern PCs with such little
floppy use, might go their entire lives without needing any drive
servicing.. but if I'm constantly using the drive all day with lots of
different floppies, the heads seem to get buildup even though the
buildup is being contributed by many floppies.


> Polished floppy media with excellent binders became almost universal in the late 1980's, and oxide shedding became a rarity.>

Important point.   Also related is the media formulation.  On my 8"
drives, I'm using floppies that have the older, more orange/brownish
tint to them..I'm sure much older than late 80's... and these shed much
more than the dark grey/black color of later floppy formulations.


> I'm a pragmatist.  I test the walls from time to time, and if they don't appear to be there, then I conclude that they aren't there--now.>

Interesting.  If the wall was once there and I'm still using the exact
same stuff that had the wall, I assume it's still there. :-)


> But note that one set of habits is supported by evidence while the other is based only on an assumption....   Note also that the physical space to keep the disks that must be secured is twice as great if only one surface is used, and that also increases the risk of physical damage.  ;-)>

It's not entirely an assumption.  First of all, many 8" floppies could
not be flipped at all due to index holes.   Also, the earlier
formulations and the much higher linear velocities created more
debris.. thus requiring the felt pads (on SS drives) to be frequently
replaced.   You can clearly see on these diskettes the wear patterns
from the felt pad.. sometimes down to the plastic!   It's also not
clear to me whether an oxide buildup on the pad could begin to have a
magnetic field to it... but anyway, my point is that I think a lot of
8" behaviors got carried over into conversations about the minifloppy.

With the 5.25" drives, I've seen some very dirty felt pads.. but have
not yet seen wear marks in the diskettes.. because the diskettes are
newer and superior (I've not yet examined the most recent made  8"
floppies to see what improved)... and maybe have an even lighter head
loading pressure.   However, with the Apple II, I was occasionally
encountering diskettes that would go corrupt.. and I always had more
problems with flippy diskettes than single sided.... so always stored
critical stuff on one side only.

My last and final point on all this.. is that I HATE flipping through a
floppy box, and trying to see what's on side B (when people put labels
on either side).   Or even if A) and B) are written on the front label,
it bothers me to see two different topics on one diskette... unless of
course it's something like Locksmith 6.0 on side A, 5.0 on side B.
This is really persnicketty.. haha.. but again, why I think the flippy
thing boils down to personal preference.

~ J