Re: Amstrad moved 3.5 inches ?
3" and 3."5 were pretty much competitors in the early days. Everybody knew that a more solid and dust-proof sleeve was needed, but not how much more. The 3.5" was little more than fibrous cardboard with an open hole replaced by barely-stiffer plastic and a metal cover plate. Some latecomers thought that would be insufficient and went for a more expensive rigid shell, allowing greater precision and a 3" form factor. In the event, cheapness and internal dust traps proved adequate. Amstrad were pretty much last man standing when it came to 3" use and as production levels drew further behind, the cost equation drove the 3" to extinction.
I still have an early PCW which was supplied with twin 3" drives and I later replaced one with a 3.5" for better/cheaper storage and compatibility with newer software. It came as a conversion kit but could not avoid some careful sawing-away of the computer's plastic enclosure to add the extra 0.5".
Biting the hand that feeds IT
