Converting an external floppy drive?

[Pseudoman]

I've a got a good one for you hardware buffs out there.
I recently purchased an Acer FD-101 external floppy drive to wipe some old floppy disks. Problem is that is the connector cable needs a parallel port, but my computer does not have one. And for some reason or another, it isn't recognized when I try to pass it through a Staples USB-Serial adapter, with accompanying connector adapters.
Can anyone here let me know how to convert the device to use USB instead, or an internal connection? Would that even be possible? If not, it would *only* be $5 down the tube.

[Rich]

Hi Pseudoman
All the connector adapters in the world will not allow you to control a parallel printer using a serial port.

[Pseudoman]

Oh, well that explains why my old Zoom modem wasn't working either...

[gerald_clark]

It's probably toasted now.

[Rich]

I doubt that. The line driver used in that USB to serial converter is probably limited to a few milliamperes.

[curaga]

Wiping floppies using a floppy drive would be pretty slow. Much faster just to touch them with a strong magnet and then cut the magnet disk in half.

[vinnie]

Wiping floppies using a floppy drive would be pretty slow. Much faster just to touch them with a strong magnet and then cut the magnet disk in half.

And after trow it on a fire 

[curaga]

That could have some poisonous fumes tho. Maybe a blender instead?

[Pseudoman]

Good suggestions for taking care of the floppies. I had forgotten about magnets... I tend to over-complicate things too often. Thanks for the help.

[gutmensch]

Btw. OT: to wipe CDs and DVDs you can buy heavy leather gloves, use only one at a time and split the plastic into pieces. Good training

[vinnie]

naa, i am more traditionalist:

p.s. note the central collision pointer 

[Pseudoman]

My problem is that I'm more of a New Traditionalist: