Is the Iomega Zip Drive Still Relevant? Comparing to CDR with 700MB Storage

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the relevance of the Iomega Zip Drive in comparison to other storage options like CD-Rs and DVD burners, particularly in terms of storage capacity, cost, and usability in various contexts. Participants explore the practicality of using Zip Drives in modern computing environments, especially in educational settings and with older hardware.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants argue that with the availability of CD-Rs, which are inexpensive and can store 700MB, the need for Zip Drives is diminished.
  • Others suggest that Iomega products are outdated and recommend investing in DVD burners instead of Zip Drives.
  • One participant notes that Zip Drives can still be useful in specific scenarios, such as in school labs that lack CD burners, where transferring large files to a Zip Drive can be faster than burning CDs.
  • Another participant mentions the advantages of using 512MB pen drives and memory cards as alternatives to Zip Drives.
  • There is a sense of surprise expressed by some that people are still using Zip Drives, indicating a perception that they are no longer relevant.
  • A participant describes a process for using Zip Drives with older laptops, highlighting their utility in transferring software despite the existence of alternatives like Laplink.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally express skepticism about the relevance of Zip Drives, with multiple competing views on their utility in specific contexts. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the overall viability of Zip Drives compared to modern alternatives.

Contextual Notes

Some participants emphasize the limitations of Zip Drives in terms of cost and availability of compatible hardware, while others highlight specific use cases where they may still be beneficial. The discussion does not reach a consensus on the future of Zip Drives.

Saint
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since we have CDR, which is cheap and can store 700MB, why do we need Zip drive?

i never had a friend using I-omega zip drive, it is a dead product.
 
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Any Iomega product is toast. Do not invest in Iomega. Buy yourself a dvd burner if you need more storage, otherwise stay with your cd burner.
 
Iomega disks are too expensive to be viable in the future.

The reasons I own one now though are:

1) The labs in school do not include CD burners, so it's either one zip or 5 floppys.

2) Copying large files to zip drive is still a faster process than burning CDs. No special software is needed (other than the drivers, obviously), you just drag and drop from windows explorer.
 
512mb pen drives are awesome, also look into memory cards for an alternative.
 
people are still using zips? wow... that fad i thought had died.
 
I play with old laptops that have tiny hard drives and lack many of the ports found on more modern computers. Here is a proceedure;
1 fdisk, format, install DOS.
2 Install zip driver.
3 download compatible programs with fast computer and store on zip.
4 transfer from zip disk to laptop hard drive.

Laplink cuts out the need for a zip drive though. Ok I confess, someone gave me a couple of zip drives (that ought to tell you something right there) and I've been playing with them.
 

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