5.25" double-sided double-density disks, as used by some EUG readers, are no longer being manufactured. They are now almost impossible to find new. I have asked a number of friends involved in the computer trade to get some for me but without success. A number of places have said that they have them but when an order is placed, they simply don't show up. There are some on the market at the high price of £1.00 per disk and most of the ones I order I suspect are acquired from these sources.
Now I know I have been suggesting to readers who use 5.25" discs to try to find a 3.5" drive but I can assure them that this problem is unrelated.
We have three alternatives:
5.25" using readers can supply their own disk. I am not keen on this because disks can easily be lost but more importantly because of possible damage to my precious 5.25" drives from dirty disks. I can check submission disks because there are relatively few but I cannot be sure of checking all the 5.25" disks which would be sent for duplication. It only takes one seriously dirty disk to ruin a disk drive. Heads cannot now be repaired or replaced and I don't really want to risk drives. I already have one ruined drive in the attic from a dirty EUG submission disk sent some time ago.
5.25" using readers can pay considerably extra for their copy of EUG. I am not keen on this either and frankly, I don't think they will be! Also I don't know how long even the high price 5.25" disks will be available.
5.25" using readers can buy a 3.5" drive.
If anyone knows of a source where a large quantity of 5.25" DS DD disks could be had - not HD disks! - at a reasonable price then please do contact me asap.
I really need to know what those '5.25"-using' readers think. I have enough disks for their format for EUG #28 and no more. If I don't hear before the end of October, I will simply wait until I do. I'm very sorry but I can't think of anything else to do.
Well, I have a number of things to rant about but to be honest this turn of events with the 5.25" disks has rather depressed me.
On the bright side, at least I now have an excuse for being late yet again with this magazine.
There are a couple of submissions which I have had to hold over for EUG #28 but please do send in some more. There are not enough for a full disk yet.
EUG has been getting later and later each issue. I would really like to get back to the proper bi-monthly publication date. I will try and have EUG #28 out by the beginning of October, when it should be published. Please send in your submissions soon.
1st August 1996