I just found my box of old, circa 1980's computer floppy discs. How do I read them?

IF, and that’s a big IF they are still viable you will need an Amiga system to read them. If you have that then the Amiga can be set up to port the data over using MS-dos format. A PC will not be able to read them directly.

I think there is a good chance they’re viable. They were in a safety deposit box for about 20 years, still in the enclosed disc holder. I closed the safety deposit box last year, stuck them away and just now rediscovered them, in a water bed drawer, still in the disc holder.
I know a PC can’t read them directly. It’s a floppy disk. That’s why I asked the question.
I’m wondering if there is any such thing as a company or something that can transfer them. I just had a boat load of old VHS tapes transferred to DVD through a video production place. Are there computer places like that?

You can find external floppy disk drives – USB connections – not too expensive. The problem you will have, as @ARE_you said, is that Amiga used a different disk management system than DOS did.

You might get one of these to work: link

There are still people who program on Amiga systems. There even used to be a club. The Amiga used separate processors for its different functions decades ahead of its time.

@majorrich I can tell you it did some things I can’t duplicate on Windows, that’s for sure! I may be posting some of the stuff in the near future because those VHS tapes had some computer graphics we recorded. Thanks for the info you guys.

You might be getting into some Amiga emulation in the near future. Maybe a little fun with ADFread

Taking a look at what’s involved, along with a relative lack of documentation for what is available, I’m thinking that an ugly kludge involving a lot or metaphorical duct tape and chewing gum may be an improvement on what’s available.

As for whether there are places that have that ability, there really isn’t much call for that sort of thing. Before PCs came along with pretty standardized file formats, there really weren’t many people using computers at all. Odds are that you’ll have more luck finding a guru, wizard, or beard that can/will do it than any commercial enterprise offering that service.

@elbanditoroso ADFread doesn’t seem to like USB, so we’re talking old-school PATA… something that my last two motherboards completely lack.

I have a plan. All of you move to Wichita so you can come to my house and hep me.

Party at @Dutchess_III‘s!

Right on! Bring your chainsaws! Bar b que after.

I’m curious to know what’s all on those.

Oh, @Symbeline…..memories That was the decade my kids were born. I know I kept a diary on one. House plans that I tediously designed on another. There are about 20 of them. I’m curious too!