>>>>> And anyway, a number of S100 cards included boot ROMs, etc. Those need to
>>>>> be backed up.
>>>> Shure, but where ? Just on a disk ? I already have the problem
>>> On paper tape, of course. It's reliable (I've never found a tape that
>>> can't be read), human-readable, and the automatic readers are simple
>>> enough to be repairable...
>> Jep. Good choice - I still have some paper tabes from the mid
>> 70s in fine condition - but I also know (remembering the past)
>> how fast they break...
> Paper tapes can be spliced if they break (did I mention I had a splicing
> jig and tapes here...). An a good reader shouldn't break the tape anyway.
> As an aside, paper tape holes are at 0.1" spacing. You can make a
> useable splicing jig by soldering a row of pins to a piece of stripboard
> (say at 0.3" spacing), and using those to hold the sprocket track on the
> tape.
So, what you tellin' me ? I've been in the repair business for
these devices some time around 1980 *grin*
>>>> So, what to use ? Writable CDs ? They have only a guaranteed
>>>> lifetime of less than 15 years. Tapes ? Maybe - I have some
>>>> PBS Tapes from 1976 and they are still readable, but they are
>>>> 900 and 1600 BpI tapes. Any modern optical and magnetical
>>> You can pack a lot of ROM dumps on a 1600bpi magtape....
>> Shure, but 1600 BpI is the first density not readable
>> to humans. Again insecure.
> But some 1600bpi drives are _always_ repairable. And the format is
> sufficiently well documented that a drive could always be made.
Almost, yes, and for the formats also yes - but not the media.
I had even new taps failing to record.
>>>> Or just put it again on EPROMS - with propper handling
>>>> EPROMS could survive at least 50+ years - and PROMS
>>> Never!. I'd not trust an EPROM to last longer than 10 years. Nor any
>>> other chip for that matter. Sure, a lot of them will, but some won't. And
>>> if it's the last copy in the world, you've got problems.
>> EPROMS are a real lot more reliable than any other media.
> I've had EPROMs fail. I've had floppy disks fail. Never had a 9-track
> tape fail, though. Never really lost any data because I've had it backed
> up...
Maybe just our different past - I have seen almost any kind
of magnetic media fail but never EPROMS.
>> And any magnetic media is crap for long time archival.
>> Just ask some (ausio) tape fans about tapes from the 60s.
> Oh, I don't know. I've managed to play 1960's reel-to-reel audio tapes
> (and early 19790's video tapes, reel and cassette) with no real
> problems. If you pick a suitably redundant format for the data I suspect
> it'll be OK.
Managed to play and recovering all information are
different things.
And back to CDs (to reunite the two threads):
Theres a huge difference between your listed magnetic things
and CDs - the music sector - I bet any summ you want that
there will be new drives in 20 years from now, able to read
a CD made today (if the CD contend isn't damaged of course).
I'm not talking about any specific drive of today - your
right - its even dificult to get a custom chip just 2.5 years
after the drive. Its about drives that are _able_ to read
the backup medias.
And for Zip - you're also right - I think, like you,
that Zip or syquests will be forgotten in less than
15 years (for _new_ installments).
Serus
Hans
--
Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
HRK
Received on Wed Jun 24 1998 - 19:25:21 BST