Storage

The past couple years have seen a transformation in electronic data storage practices.

For over a decade I carried my data around on diskettes. Then I got zip disks and eventually a CD burner.

Recently I heard a missionary in the Library talking about his thumb drive. Missionaries are somehow always at the front edge of technological change. Figure that out.

Anyway, the portable USB drives arrived. I bought my first 128 mb drive, then upgraded to 256 mb.

As time has passed, I've been interested in the various names the new storage media have been given. I'm compiling a list:

• Thumb Drive
• Flash Drive
• Quick Key
• Key Drive
• Jump Drive
• USB Key
• Memory Stick

Any others?

Meanwhile, I've found out how durable this new media is.

When she was gone to visit her sister, I did the laundry. (No, I do the laudry regularly, her visit is only a reminder of when the incident happened...) Anyway, I was loading the wet clothes into the dryer when I noticed it, there on the bottom of the wash drum. My thumb drive.

My newly washed and sparkling clean thumb drive.

Oh, my data.

How much had I lost?

Careful examination showed that the inner workings looked . . . clean. No intimation that damage might have occurred. I said a silent prayer.

When I went to bed, I put the drive on my nightstand, hoping against hope that a thorough air-drying might prevent anymore damage. I mean, it had gone through each wash, rinse and spin cycle. Zoiks!

As I got ready for the day, I put the thumb drive in my pocket.

At work I hesitated before plugging the drive in to my computer. Before my fears could completely articulate themselves, I jammed the drive in and tried to access it.

Can you say, stunned?

No. Stupefied.

No. Thrilled.

It was all there: my documents, pictures and master data base! No losses at all. I am still awed by the fact that my thumb drive went through a complete wash cycle and came out no worse for wear.

Those guys at Lexar Media know their stuff. I'm not much at product promotion, but if they ever need a testimonial, they can use this post.