IBM introduced the floppy disk in 1971, initially as an 8-inch read-only medium for loading microcode into the System/370 mainframe. Writeable versions followed, and smaller formats became standard in personal computers through the 1980s and 1990s. The floppy disk made it practical to save, transport, and share digital documents — including manuscripts and poetry drafts — between machines for the first time.

The introduction of the floppy disk in 1971 revolutionized the way writers and poets stored and shared their work. It enabled the rise of electronic literature, allowing poets like Ted Berrigan to experiment with cut-up techniques and digital formats, thus expanding the boundaries of poetic expression in the digital age.