There is no entry in /dev for the floppy on two different systems.  One is a new Compaq dc7100 and the other an older Gateway E3600.  The Gateway has an external scsi drive and two scsi cdroms in addition to two ide harddrives and a cdrecorder.  The scsi drive is picked up and one of the cdroms, but the second is missing.  kudzu doesn't indicate anything.
 
All the hardware is there using Slackware and the 2.6 kernel.
 
Robert McBroom