CP/M

From: Bruce Lane <kyrrin_at_jps.net>
Date: Thu Jun 18 21:44:33 1998

At 18:29 18-06-98 +0100, Tony Duell proclaimed:

>> >holes and putting the disk back in the jacket. Problem is resealing the
>> >edge of the jacket which I've opened.
>>
>> Tape works well!
>
>No it doesn't! 99% of all the tapes out there fail after a couple of
>years (at most) leaving a somewhat sticky residue behind. 5.25" (and 8")

        I beg to differ. Tell that to my many 9-track tapes which are all original
DEC distribution media. At least half of them are ten years old, and (I'm
pleased to say) showing no signs of deterioration whatsoever. I was able
to, a couple of years ago, successfully read a 9-track tape I recorded on a
PDP-11/70 that was at least fifteen years old (the tape, not the PDP). No
errors at all.

        I also have a number of QICs (Quarter-Inch Cartridges) that seem to be
just as stable now as when they rolled off the assembly line at least 12
years ago.

        Where did you get the idea that tape is so fragile? I'd wager the ones you
encountered were either of very poor quality or were stored under adverse
conditions (high heat, high humidity, etc).


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Bruce Lane, Sysop, The Dragon's Cave BBS (Fidonet 1:343/272)
(Hamateur: WD6EOS) (E-mail: kyrrin_at_jps.net)
"Our science can only describe an object, event, or living thing in our own
human terms. It cannot, in any way, define any of them..."
Received on Thu Jun 18 1998 - 21:44:33 BST