Let's develop an open-source media archive standard

From: Steve Thatcher <melamy_at_earthlink.net>
Date: Wed Aug 11 17:16:58 2004

would you rather have one format that allows for easy data access and re-creation of media or only be able to re-create media and have a difficult interface in EVERY emulator that needs to access the data? From a usage standpoint, I think putting the burden on the emulators is not a reasonable approach. There are a variety of emulators available do not have to deal with track sector access of information. One uses an import command to bring ms-dos files in for example. To have to write an outside utility that has to know what the image file type is, know the physical layout of the disk, know how the OS accesses files on the disk just to retrieve file data is not a good idea. leave the OS access to the real platform or emulators that want to deal with actual tracks and sectors.

best regards, Steve Thatcher

-----Original Message-----
From: "Dwight K. Elvey" <dwight.elvey_at_amd.com>
Sent: Aug 11, 2004 3:05 PM
To: cctalk_at_classiccmp.org
Subject: Re: Let's develop an open-source media archive standard


>From: spc_at_conman.org
>
>It was thus said that the Great Vintage Computer Festival once stated:
>>
>> HOWEVER, this makes it very difficult to use the imagefile on an emulator.
>> To use the floppy disk example again, if the emulator wants Track 14
>> Sector 8 (or Block 417) but it has not been explicitly laid out in the
>> imagefile because it was originally zeroes, then the emulator, if poorly
>> designed, may crap out.
>
> Are you trying to create an archive format, or a format that is to be used
>by emulators? I say skip the emulators and concentrate on archival
>purposes. An emulator can then use the archive format to create a disk
>image in whatever internal format it requires.
>
> Don't complicate the problem.

 I agree. We only need to provide a format that could be converted
for a specific emulator, not necessarily one that can be conveniently
read by an emulator.
Dwight

>
> -spc (And don't try to become everything for everybody ... )
>
>
>
>
Received on Wed Aug 11 2004 - 17:16:58 BST