Rescuing Historical Treasures from Old Floppy Disks
Cambridge University archivists are working to extract and conserve valuable information from floppy disks before they become unusable due to corrosion or loss of magnetism.
The project began with a box of 5.25-inch floppy disks from physicist Steven Hawking's DOS-formatted computer, highlighting the challenges of preserving data from outdated technology.
The initiative aims to rescue historical treasures trapped on old floppy disks from the "Digital Dark Ages".
- Floppy disks are vulnerable to the ravages of time, with iron oxide corroding the material or losing magnetism, preventing them from being read.
- The project, "Future Nostalgia", aims to conserve important information from these disks before they become unusable.
Author's summary: Archivists rescue historical data from old floppy disks.