Comments on: Cartridge Tape System Is Fast, Compact http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/11/06/cartridge-tape-system-is-fast-compact/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:36:33 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Toronto http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/11/06/cartridge-tape-system-is-fast-compact/comment-page-1/#comment-1066910 Toronto Thu, 26 Mar 2009 02:20:26 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=5968#comment-1066910 True enough - in the late '90s the company I worked for went public, and we had a video made to show potential investors. The director asked me if I could make the tape spin back and forth "like in the movies" so I wrote a quick FORTRAN program to do just that. The combination of the 'sci fi' tapes and the hard-copy consoles probably turned off some investors, truthfully. He also asked if we could fake a network outage and recovery on our network monitor (which was overlaid on a map of North America.) I think I did that one in GW-Basic, and threw in a simulation of an automatic re-routing to Texas via Montreal. It would have been easier to just pull the cable... True enough – in the late ’90s the company I worked for went public, and we had a video made to show potential investors. The director asked me if I could make the tape spin back and forth “like in the movies” so I wrote a quick FORTRAN program to do just that. The combination of the ’sci fi’ tapes and the hard-copy consoles probably turned off some investors, truthfully.

He also asked if we could fake a network outage and recovery on our network monitor (which was overlaid on a map of North America.) I think I did that one in GW-Basic, and threw in a simulation of an automatic re-routing to Texas via Montreal. It would have been easier to just pull the cable…

]]> By: Tim http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/11/06/cartridge-tape-system-is-fast-compact/comment-page-1/#comment-1066908 Tim Thu, 26 Mar 2009 01:02:35 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=5968#comment-1066908 The cartridge system made sense, but the regular reels of tape on the front of the cabinet remained an iconic facet of computers for many years to come. The cartridge system made sense, but the regular reels of tape on the front of the cabinet remained an iconic facet of computers for many years to come.

]]> By: John Savard http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/11/06/cartridge-tape-system-is-fast-compact/comment-page-1/#comment-1062641 John Savard Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:26:57 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=5968#comment-1062641 IBM's Hypertape cartridges originally used wider tape than their regular reel tapes did. This article describes the original version of Hypertape, which was sold to only one customer - Canada's tax department. IBM later came out with an improved version for its new IBM 360 computer, and sold it to the IRS along with an aviation company and another private customer. IBM’s Hypertape cartridges originally used wider tape than their regular reel tapes did. This article describes the original version of Hypertape, which was sold to only one customer – Canada’s tax department. IBM later came out with an improved version for its new IBM 360 computer, and sold it to the IRS along with an aviation company and another private customer.

]]> By: Scott Mercer http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/11/06/cartridge-tape-system-is-fast-compact/comment-page-1/#comment-1062581 Scott Mercer Mon, 10 Nov 2008 02:01:46 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=5968#comment-1062581 Torgo! Is the master at home tonight? Torgo! Is the master at home tonight?

]]> By: Torgo http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/11/06/cartridge-tape-system-is-fast-compact/comment-page-1/#comment-1062559 Torgo Sun, 09 Nov 2008 05:34:58 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=5968#comment-1062559 Very interesting, Toronto. I have had little experience with tape drives since some trying times with a Commodore PET. Very interesting, Toronto. I have had little experience with tape drives since some trying times with a Commodore PET.

]]> By: Toronto http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/11/06/cartridge-tape-system-is-fast-compact/comment-page-1/#comment-1062550 Toronto Sat, 08 Nov 2008 17:06:25 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=5968#comment-1062550 That's about 800 bits per inch. Some tape drives had that density as a compatibility mode until the late 1980s, but 1600 and 6250 bpi was more common (and these would have been 1/2" tapes, not 1".) DLT and LTO tape cartridges (about 4" square) now hold about 800 Gigabytes, or 400,000 times as much as these 1961 vintage cartridges. That’s about 800 bits per inch. Some tape drives had that density as a compatibility mode until the late 1980s, but 1600 and 6250 bpi was more common (and these would have been 1/2″ tapes, not 1″.)

DLT and LTO tape cartridges (about 4″ square) now hold about 800 Gigabytes, or 400,000 times as much as these 1961 vintage cartridges.

]]> By: Torgo http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/11/06/cartridge-tape-system-is-fast-compact/comment-page-1/#comment-1062536 Torgo Sat, 08 Nov 2008 05:28:21 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=5968#comment-1062536 The shoes are still good, but the tape was probably out of date in two years. The shoes are still good, but the tape was probably out of date in two years.

]]> By: Jilly http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/11/06/cartridge-tape-system-is-fast-compact/comment-page-1/#comment-1062520 Jilly Fri, 07 Nov 2008 12:40:56 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=5968#comment-1062520 LOL I always check out the shoes too. LOL I always check out the shoes too.

]]> By: Charlene http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/11/06/cartridge-tape-system-is-fast-compact/comment-page-1/#comment-1062509 Charlene Fri, 07 Nov 2008 04:52:41 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=5968#comment-1062509 I don't know about the tape or the system, but I covet that woman's shoes. I don’t know about the tape or the system, but I covet that woman’s shoes.

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