Book 26, Question 96 · Video
Why did floppy disks go away?
Floppy disks were once used to save and move files on computers. A common one held only 1.44 megabytes, which is smaller than one photo from a modern phone. As files got bigger, floppy disks could not keep up. USB drives, memory cards, and cloud storage hold far more and are faster. The "save" icon in many programs still looks like a floppy disk.
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What Crafty Clover says in this video
Intro
Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why did floppy disks go away?
The Big Idea
Look at the Save button on a computer. It looks like a little square! That's a floppy disk.
Saving Files
Step one: Saving Files. Floppy disks were once used to save and move files on computers. People carried them like little notebooks.
Tiny Storage
Step two: Tiny Storage. A common one held only 1.44 megabytes, smaller than one photo from a modern phone. As files got bigger, floppy disks could not keep up.
Replaced
Step three: Replaced. USB drives, memory cards, and cloud storage hold far more and are faster. The Save icon in many programs still looks like a floppy disk.
A Closer Look
Let's take a closer look! Floppies held a little. USB drives hold lots. Cards fit in cameras. The cloud is online.
Quick Facts
Quick facts! Early floppy disks were eight inches wide. Smaller than one photo. The cloud holds more. The icon lives on.
Think Like a Scientist
Now, think like a scientist! Look at the Save icon on a computer with a grown-up. What does it look like? Ask the grown-up if they used floppy disks. Draw the icon. Design a new Save icon for today.
Outro
Floppy disks went away because they held only 1.44 megabytes, less than one phone photo. USB drives, memory cards, and the cloud replaced them, but the Save icon still looks like one. Science is amazing! What will you discover next? Every question is a new adventure, so keep wondering and keep exploring with me! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!