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A huge number of CNC [computer numerical control] machines for metalworking and manufacture use floppies because their instruction sets are small enough to fit on the disks. In these areas a floppy is far hardier than a CD or even a USB pen-drive. Peter M, Wirral, UK

Believe it or not, most if not all ATM (cashpoint) programming is installed direct to the machine from a floppy disk. With all of the ATMs available in just the UK with many additional copies made to support each machine in a region... this could amount to a huge stockpile of disks hanging around for each bank and/or private ATM manufacturer.Steve, Northampton

I still buy and use floppies for my electronic organ and some older synthesizers. Many professional keyboardists still own older synthesizers for their unique design and sheer power.Nick Chan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

In the automotive industry in the US many plastic parts are made in machines that are 20-30 years old. I go through floppies fairly regularly because we'll need to access a robot or punch press or milling machine or something else that has no other form of external media access. Kyle, Georgia

As a blind computer technician and computer enthusiast I find floppy disks essential. I have developed a lot of small batch utilities and use floppy disks as I can more easily tell if the disk is loading up, for instance the click and hum of the drive is something I can hear and by its sounds, I know what is happening.Ibrahim Gucukoglu, Peterborough UK

As a telecoms engineer, I have to add that there is still some test equipment out there that logs data only to floppy disks. The disks are such a pain to work with, but it's not like you can throw out a $330,000 piece of test equipment because you don't like the way it outputs its data.Erik, Copenhagen

here are thousands of DOS-based computers running machinery in the print industry and all the software updates are on floppy disks.Alan Head, Canvey Island ,UK