Files as files

From: John Foust <jfoust_at_threedee.com>
Date: Wed Jun 10 10:45:05 1998

At 09:21 AM 6/10/98 -0700, Roger Ivie wrote:
>
>I can't speak for RSTS and RSX-11, but I _know_ early VMS was 9.3; that is,
>as long as VMS 3.4 is counted as early.

I'll add DEC's tendency to "version number" files as another
item associated with a file that's not in the file itself.

The CDROM standard filesystem ISO-9660 included these version
numbers although most contemporary computers ignore it.
ISO-9660 has a "level 1" that allows 8.3 names, while
level 2 limits names to 31 characters. Apple extended
ISO-9660 to include other Mac-specific info such as icon
position and window layout - again, more info outside the file.

I think this discussion is quite relevant to historic
preservation. To me, it says the safest archiving mechanism
is to preserve an entire filesystem, as opposed to methods
like 'tar' or Zip that won't preserve all file details.

- John
Received on Wed Jun 10 1998 - 10:45:05 BST