EPISODE · Jul 26, 2026 · 5 MIN
IBM's 1971 Floppy Disk That Launched Portable Data
from Tech History with Fexingo: Stories of Silicon Valley, Pioneers, and Industry Origins · host Fexingo
In 1971, IBM engineers led by Alan Shugart created the first floppy disk—an 8-inch flexible magnetic disk designed to load microcode onto mainframes. But the team quickly realized its potential for portable data storage. This episode traces the accidental invention, its evolution from a niche loading device to the dominant portable storage medium for three decades, and how it paved the way for USB drives and cloud storage. Learn why the 'floppy' name stuck, how it transformed data exchange, and why even today's seamless file sharing owes a debt to that bendable plastic square. #Technology #TechHistory #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #FloppyDisk #IBM #AlanShugart #DataStorage #Portability #Innovation #ComputingHistory #VintageTech #SiliconValley #1970s #Invention #DataPortability #DiskDrive #MagneticStorage Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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IBM's 1971 Floppy Disk That Launched Portable Data
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