FileWare disks (commonly known as Twiggy disks after the very thin 1960s fashion model) were a type of floppy disk for data storage, and were introduced by Apple in 1983 for use in the Apple Lisa computer. They were initially intended for use in the Ap
Apple had already built its own drive controller for the Apple II, designed by Steve Wozniak, and the logical next step seemed to be to design its own drive so it could continue the boast that anything ‘Not Invented Here’ was not worth using.
The disks are very similar (but incompatible with) the Shugart designed 5.25-inch floppy disk and share the same dimensions. FileWare drives use two heads on either side of the spindle, and these are opposed by foam pressure pads, in an attempt to redu
By using double-sided media, a higher track pitch, variable motor speed, and GCR recording, Apple achieved a formatted storage capacity of 871 KB per disk, compared to the 140 KB of the Disk II and 360 KB on the IBM PC. By the following year however, t
FileWare drives proved to be somewhat unreliable in use and in early 1984 Apple introduced the Lisa 2, which used a single 400 KB 3.5-inch microfloppy disk drive in place of the two FileWare drives of the original Lisa. A free upgrade was offered to Li
In 1984, Apple shareholders brought a lawsuit against the company alleging that they knew about the unreliability of the drives in 1982 but continued to launch them in the Lisa despite internal memos warning of the high failure rate. The judgement went