page_title: ZX Spectrum software
section_title: Floppy disk
hierarchical_section_title: ZX Spectrum software / Software distribution media and copy protection / Floppy disk
caption_attribution_description: A 3-inch Compact Floppy Disk (Double-Sided), made by Hitachi-Maxell, c. 1990. Scanned by Zilog Jones.
context_page_description: Despite the fact that the ZX Spectrum hardware was limited by most standards, its software library was very diverse, including programming language implementations, several Z80 assemblers/disassemblers, Sinclair BASIC compilers, Sinclair BASIC extensions, databases, word processors, spread sheets, drawing and painting tools, even 3D modelling, and, of course, many, many games.
context_section_description: Several floppy disk systems were designed for the ZX Spectrum.  The most popular (excepting Eastern Europe,) were the DISCiPLE and +D systems released by Miles Gordon Technology in 1987 and 1988 respectively.  Despite becoming popular and being reliable (from using standard Shugart disk drives), most releases were utility software.  However, both systems had the ability to store memory images onto disk, snapshots, which later on could be loaded back into the ZX Spectrum and execution would commence from the point where they were "snapped", making them perfect for "backups".  Both systems were also compatible with the Microdrive command syntax, which made porting existing software simpler.
  The ZX Spectrum +3 featured a built-in 3" disk drive and enjoyed more success when it came to commercial software releases.
  Most Russian releases since 1989 are made for the Beta 128 disc interface, the only system now in use there.
caption: The CF has a harder casing than a 3-inch floppy; the metal door is opened by a sliding plastic tab on the right side.
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