Joel Jaeggli wrote:
This is the last thing I'm going to say on the subject...
[snip]
There are complex set of problems that revolve around preserving data
for long periods of time that defy simple answers. rescuing files in
obsolete formats off media formats that were no longer supported was my
bread and butter for a while. The best thing you can do is move all your
data everytime you get a new storage technology, before the hardware
thta supports it can't be connected to a modern machine, before the file
format is not longer supported, before the media you assumed worked
because they did the last time you tested them failed...
This is correct.
What computer media from 20 years ago (1985) can you still read? 51/4"
floppies? mfm, rll sasi, or esdi hard-disks? 9-track tape? 1/4" qic
tape? tk50? variable speed 3.5" floppies? disk pack?
I can still read 5 1/4" floppies (368K and 1.2M), MFM drives (still
have one I use on a semi-regular basis), RLL (I have one I use
occasionally). SASI *is* SCSI (Shugart Associates System Interface, when
standardized, simply changed names to Small Computer System Interface).
I can still read 9-track and QIC. I can't still read variable speed
3.5" floppies (anyone got an old Mac?).
how about 30 years ago? got a punch card reader? paper tape? cassette
deck? 9 track tape? 8" floppy? ibm winchester drive?
Can't read paper tape/punch any more, but I can read cassette deck
(KC standard and also a proprietary), you mentioned 9 track already,
my last 8" floppy died. I was never able to read IBM Winchester, too
expensive.
Now? does anyone here believe a significant amount of computer media
will actually rotate in 20 years?
Current media? Sure. Not media *already* 20 years old.
Mike
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