What is the proper way of activating a USB flashdrive and what has to be done before I unplug it from the USB port?

Mark Gibbs

USB FLASH DRIVE FAQ *** COPPIED FROM THIS SITE ***

What does the LED do?
When the USB Disk is inserted into the USB port and the LED lights up, it means that the computer has detected the USB Drive. The LED will flicker thus indicating file transfer. DO NOT REMOVE the USB disk while the LED is flickering or you might lose your data

How do I safely remove the USB disk?
Although these products are "plug and play" if you are using Windows XP, 2000 or Me we recommend that you use the "Safely remove hardware" icon in system tray to STOP device before removing. In Windows 98, wait 5 seconds after LED stops flashing before removing. In Mac OS, drag "No Name" icon to the trash before removing. In Linux, unmount device before removing.