[cctalk] Re: IBM 360

I always wondered if that wasn't a standard property of IBM tape drives of that era. The ones I remember from our 360/44 had capstans that turned continuously, one to each side of the head. The tape was shoved against the capstan to start tape motion, and against a rubber brake block to stop it. That was wild enough, but the other crazy aspect is that the vacuum columns were arranged so the oxide was facing outward, i.e., rubbing against the side walls of the vacuum column. I never did wear out a tape, but then again, I never used a tape more than a half dozen times on that system. paul