The unlikely staying power of the humble floppy disk

Outdated and finite storage media are still used by governments around the world and have 'enduring' appeal'

Photo collage of floppy disks and various typographical ephemera from floppy disks
Why spend money upgrading technology that's basically fine?
(Image credit: Illustration by Julia Wytrazek / Getty Images)

When Sony stopped manufacturing new floppy disks in 2011, most assumed the outdated storage medium – of which there is only a finite, decreasing number left – would die off.

But 15 years later, there are still those who "hold on to floppies", said Techspot, whether for "nostalgia-fuelled pleasure or necessity". 

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Harriet Marsden is a writer for The Week, mostly covering UK and global news and politics. Before joining the site, she was a freelance journalist for seven years, specialising in social affairs, gender equality and culture. She worked for The Guardian, The Times and The Independent, and regularly contributed articles to The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, The New Statesman, Tortoise Media and Metro, as well as appearing on BBC Radio London, Times Radio and “Woman’s Hour”. She has a master’s in international journalism from City University, London, and was awarded the "journalist-at-large" fellowship by the Local Trust charity in 2021.