Defining Disk Image Dump Standard

From: Dwight Elvey <elvey_at_hal.com>
Date: Tue May 30 19:37:16 2000

ard_at_p850ug1.demon.co.uk (Tony Duell) wrote:
> > I don't think that we should even try to save data in the
> > original format as long as there is a method such as I
>
> Well, there's no reason not to. And a lot of us here use the old
> computers that _need_ the data on the original media. You can't exactly
> boot a home micro from an image file on a unix box, you know :-)
> [....]

Hi
 And why not? I brought up a CPM machine from ground
zero with just such a method. It wasn't easy but
I just think it is wise to include these types of
operations in the archive.
 I don't think in these cases
that keeping original media is as good an idea.
When the last original machine fails with the
blowing of the last SN7400, do you expect to quickly
transfer the data to a new media? The software it self
has future value, even without the original machine.
We should be looking at long term methods of preserving
as much as we can. As you stated, things like schematics
are of that type but I think what Sam is worried about
is that we are loosing software faster than other elements
of computers because, like the old metal toys, people
seem to place less value on that information and
it is destroyed more often.
Dwight
Received on Tue May 30 2000 - 19:37:16 BST