In the past, when people need to transfer files from PC to
PC, the type of portable data storage media that first come
in their minds are floppies, CDs and Zip disks. Floppy disks
are the least expensive of the three but they only provide
about a megabyte (MB) of storage. What's more, floppy disks
are easy to break and susceptible to magnetic fields and dirt.
Rewritable CDs are not practical for frequently saving data
because of the time it takes to burn data and the inconvenience
for notebooks without built-in CD drives. Zip disks require
a Zip drive in every computer you use, something you cannot
risk when you're travelling. So what durable storage device
could provide greater portability while at the same time give
you instant access to your files via any computer without
the need of an additional drive? The answer is a Universal
Serial Bus (USB) Flash disk, a portable device the size of
a chewing gum pack that conveniently plugs into any computer
with a USB port and stores data on flash memory chips. The
all-in-one unit requires no batteries, no external power,
and no additional cables or adapters.
USB ports
are now standard in nearly every desktop and notebook computer
made in recent years. The USB Flash disk works well with most
PC (Windows 98 and above), Mac (Mac 9.5 and above) and most
Linux machines (Linux kernel version 2.4.0 or later). However,
Windows NT currently does not support USB. Therefore, USB
flash disk cannot run on NT systems. For Windows 98, a driver
needs to be installed. For some brands of USB flash disk,
you need to install a driver if you want password protections.
When plugged into a PC's USB port, flash disks appear on the
desktop like an extra hard disk drive (e.g. g:). You simply
drag files to and from the flash disk, which can then be removed
and plugged into any other computer's USB port to transfer
data. On Macs, a folder icon representing the flash disk will
appear on your desktop. You may then read or write as if the
flash disk is another folder on your computer.
Although
Flash disks cost more than other removable storage formats,
they are durable, convenient and small enough to be put into
a pocket or attached to a key chain and able to store larger
files than floppy disks. Even the smallest 16-megabyte flash
disks hold more data than 10 floppy disks, while larger 64-
and 128-megabyte disks hold significantly more. Flash disks
are now available up to 2-gigabyte. Furthermore, they can
be repeatedly written for tens of thousands of times while
CD-Rs can only be written once.
As can
be seen, Flash disks are indeed ideal for storing and transferring
files. USB ports are made accessible in every public terminal
supported by the Computing Services Centre (CSC). Whether
you are a staff or student, USB Flash disk is surely your
good companion for computer related teaching and learning
activities. Just think about the amount of disk space you
could use to store your PowerPoint lecture notes, research
papers, assignments and projects; the time you could save
by simply dragging and dropping files from one folder to another
and the convenience of bringing your electronic files while
you are on the road. If you are still not convinced, just
take a look again at the following checklist on why you should
use USB Flash disks.
|
Small |
-
|
its small size is convenient for carrying files anywhere |
|
Universal |
-
|
it
can be used on Windows, Macs, and Linux. No formatting
for PC or Mac necessary |
|
Plug-&-Play |
-
|
no
software necessary for most systems |
|
Easy |
-
|
a
mobile hard drive for your computer |
|
Long
Life |
-
|
10
years |
|
Safe |
-
|
resistant
to scratches, dusts, breaks, or mechanical failure |
|
Economical |
-
|
one
16 MB USB flash drive is equivalent to 10 floppy disks |
Moreover,
when you decide to get one, look for a USB Flash drive that
supports USB 2.0 for higher performance. Like all other removable
devices, users should also note the following best practice:
|
Always
check against virus before and after use, especially if
the computer is not owned by you. |
|
Remember
to safely remove your flash disk after use. |
|
Use
flash disk with password protection when handling sensitive
information. |
|
Memorize
the password if you are using password protection. There
is no way to recover the data if the password is forgotten
but to reformat the flash disk. |
|
Make
sure the USB flash disk stop working (enough wait time
after LED flashing stops) before unplugging it from the
USB port. |
Data storage
may be just the beginning for flash disk makers. Several disks
now offer the ability to store encrypted data, and some are
being bundled with application software such as e-mail browsers
or Adobe PhotoShop. In fact, we can now see flash disks combined
with MP3 players, voice recorders and digital cameras. Its
market potential is beyond our imagination.
References: