Byte Jan 87 retrospective.

From: Brett <danjo_at_xnet.com>
Date: Sun May 18 15:37:39 1997

On Sun, 18 May 1997, Bill Whitson wrote:
> > > Videotrax
> > I saw this system at AppleFest '89. It was pretty interesting. I think
> > the problem with this system and why it never caught on is because: a)
> > let's face it, hooking your computer to a VCR is lame and b) it was slow.

I saw this in an Slpha Micro shop (headquarters?) in Irvine California
back in - oh - 83?84?. It was neat *seeing* the data but as I understood
it, everything had to be recorded 5+ times for ANY reliable data recovery.

> On the line of interesting storage devices - does anyone remember the
> "scanner" that read strips of encoded data. I don't remember what it
> was called, but for a little while they printed some of these strips in
> Nibble. I think it was an Apple II only thing. I guess you could read
> and print these strips and they generated programs when you scanned
> them.

I also remember either Byte of Dr. Dobb's doing this for a little while.
I might be slipping tho.

> Also, some personal bad news - my van was broken into on Friday night
> and a large load of classic equipment was stolen (I'm preparing to move
> and the it was the easiest place to store it). So, if you live in the
> greater Seattle area and you see a good amount of the following show
> up when you're poking around, please let me know (I'm not as much
> concerned about the equipment as I am about my addressbook, insurance
> folder, and vehicle registration.).

Ouch!

> Stolen: IBM 6360 disk drive, Macintosh, Mac 512, Box of CompuPro s-100
> boards, Box of misc. manuals, Commodore DPS-1101 printer, TI99/4a
> expansion box, Turbo C64 disk drive, CBM 8050 dual disk drive, Atari
> 520ST, 2 commodore vic-1541 disk drives, 1 blue chip disk drive.

Naw - it will end up in the garbage 8-(

> I'm sure the thieves thought they really scored but I'm guessing it
> will soon turn up at a thrift store or pawn shop when they can't
> move it. Some of the equipment may be blood-stained. I have mounted
> razor blades across the bottom of my car stereo and they found them
> when trying to rip it out ;). The dash was very bloody - quite
> gratifying.

Sorry this took so long - I only have two fingers left to type with 8-)
Damn - that's MEAN man!!! Probably gratifying - but even worse if
someone called the cops on you for dealing drugs and the cops searched
the car! You could/would get sued for attempted MURDER (if your cops are
like our cops 8-( then beaten to some what of a mush - while trying to
*escape* or *resisting* arrest!) Well, that's unless you are well know to
your local constablary(sp).

Other than that - Cool idea! Do you have a sticker in the window -
Protected by Gillette or something 8-)

BC
Received on Sun May 18 1997 - 15:37:39 BST