The floppy disk, both the original 8 inch size and the later 5 1/4 inch size were used in all sorts of relatively early computer equipment.
- To distribute and load firmware in a model of the IBM System/360 mainframe.
- For software distribution as well as backup/restore media for the IBM System/38 and various other model midrange computer equipment.
- For software distribution and data storage on a Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) PDP-11 system.
- For data storage and various Word processing machines.
- As system devices and data storage for the original IBM Personal Computer and other similar personal computers.
Its use was replaced by the 3 1/2 inch diskette when it became available.
