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disks from physicist Steven Hawking's DOS-formatted computer, highlighting the challenges of preserving data from outdated technology.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 in the "Digital Dark Ages".
- Iron oxide corrosion threatens to destroy the material.
- Loss of magnetism prevents the disks from being read.
The project, "Future Nostalgia", seeks to conserve valuable information from floppy disks before it's too late.
Author's summary: Archivists rescue historical data from old floppy disks.