Rare circa 1983 prototype of the IBM DemiDiskette 4-inch floppy disk, marked "IBM DemiDiskette, Part NO. 6069900," with affixed label to upper right corner reading: "Pre Production, Non-Functional." Includes its original hard plastic IBM 'shirt pocket' floppy disc holder. In fine condition.
In the early 1980s, the need became clear for a floppy disk drive and associated disk that were smaller and more rugged than the 5.25-inch standard which pervaded the personal computer world. A number of companies proposed alternatives, including Sony with a 3.5-inch disk, a consortium of Hitachi, Maxell and Matsushita (Panasonic) with a 3-inch disk, Tabor with a 3.25-inch disk, and IBM with a 4-inch floppy disk drive, the Model 341 and an associated diskette, the DemiDiskette. This program was driven by aggressive cost goals, but missed the pulse of the industry. The product was announced and withdrawn in 1983 with only a few units shipped, with IBM writing off several hundred million dollars of development and manufacturing facility. When the dust settled, the industry settled on a 3.5-inch standard and the other alternatives, including IBM's, were relegated to the dustbin of computer history.
