The data cards and their influence on real tech.

[Galane]

I'd long thought of the various colored data cards as an influence in the creation of PCMCIA and CardBus devices for laptops. But today I've found a much more direct influence on the design of real technology.

I fell down this rabbit hole thanks to the newly released Saurian Brandy glasses set. I figured the originals had to have been some off the shelf glassware. I wasn't successful at finding that but did land on the old reused props thread here.

Have a look at Page 17 https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/props-re-used.81174/page-17

Compare the shape of the cards to a Seagate Free Agent GO external hard drive. https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/8293/8293982_ra.jpg

Ever since I bought a 120 gig one of those drives some years back, I'd wondered why the housing is much wider than it needs to be, with the round edge and that bulky slope.

Now I know. It's designer is a Trekkie! So am I, I read through the entire 26 page thread, just to see if the brandy glasses were mentioned.

 

[uniderth]

You mean a data tape.

 

[Maurice]

Nah. It's just coincidence. They make fun and fancy cases for things because they want them to look sexy, but mostly you still want a box shape for practical and cost reasons, so there are a limited number of options. And "french cut" ends are not uncommon, especially when you want a label on the end of a slim object. Check out the old Intellivision carts for instance.

 

[Shawnster]

I still fondly reflect on how the old 3.5" floppies were about the same size as the data cards. And the seemed to hold the same amount of information.

https://www.google.com/search?q=tos...ved=0ahUKEwjUuaiIr73YAhXIRSYKHVpDCesQ_AUIESgB

 

[ZapBrannigan]

When I archived all my 3.5-inch data and disposed of the discs years ago, I saved two in a drawer, in part for their near-Star Trek connection. I still feel a certain nostalgia for them.

In a similar vein, when I watch a DVD or Blu-ray, putting it in the player reminds me of Mr. Atoz and his little optical discs.

 

[tomswift2002]

The TOS Data tapes always remind me of the original and color Gameboy game paks.

 

[MacLeod]

I think I've still got a 3.5" floppies around somewhere. Likely still got an old PC in the loft that can run them.

 

[Maurice]

I still fondly reflect on how the old 3.5" floppies were about the same size as the data cards. And the seemed to hold the same amount of information.

And what are you basing that on?

 

[Shawnster]

Observation. They were always popping those discs in and out. It didn't appear they held a whole lot of information by today's standards.

In real life back in the day those floppies didn't hold alot. Took over 20 discs to install programs. We were always popping floppies in and out.

 

[Tenacity]

You mean a data tape.

"Logic solid" (per Diane Duane).

 

[DonIago]

...what were you installing via 3.5" disc that needed 20?

I remember games needing maybe 4-5, but 20 seems like a stretch...

 

[Maurice]

Observation. They were always popping those discs in and out. It didn't appear they held a whole lot of information by today's standards.

In real life back in the day those floppies didn't hold alot. Took over 20 discs to install programs. We were always popping floppies in and out.

Depends on the program and what year. When 3.5" floppies first came out most programs fit on one or two double-sided disks.

And, honestly, you could store a whole novel on one one of them. Text is cheap. It's audio and video which gobble up megabytes.

 

[MacLeod]

...what were you installing via 3.5" disc that needed 20?

I remember games needing maybe 4-5, but 20 seems like a stretch...

An OS perhaps.

 

[tomswift2002]

An OS perhaps.

I recall DOS 6.0 needed 7 discs while Windows 3.11 needed 5.