more info on ancient tape

' -----Original Message----- ' From: CLASSICCMP-owner(a)u.washington.edu ' [mailto:CLASSICCMP-owner@u.washington.edu]On Behalf Of Sam Ismail ' Sent: August 25, 1998 0948 ' To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers ' Subject: RE: more info on systems.... ' ' ' On Tue, 25 Aug 1998, Aaron Michael Walkhouse wrote: ' ' > If you get a chance to look closer, see if those disk boxes (or ' machines) ' > contain tape cartridges. ' > These carts are about 4 1/4" by 5" by 1" (inches), contain 1 ' spool each and ' > look like a corner has been cut off. ' > If you find some, poke into the gear and see how many can be ' loaded into the ' > racks (if you find some) ' > If you do indeed have an IBM 3480 tape library I want it, ' whether or not you ' > have any tape left. ' > (I want to dig a really deeeeeeeeep data mine!) ;] ' ' Ack! Finally someone who can use the hundreds upon hundreds of these data ' carthridges that I've been hoarding at work for years (well, one at least) ' in the hopes that someone, some day will speak up and say they can use ' them! ' ' Quick, tell me if you need them and I'll go grab them. As soon as I read ' your post, Murphy's Minions (the little gervils that carry out Murphy's ' Laws) began disposing of those carthridges. They were probably ordered to ' be dumpstered last week, but last time I was through there they were all ' over the place. ' ' HURRY! Tell me you need them! Don't let all my work be in vain. Just ' pay for shipping. I have some already, but these are the type of thing that work best in LARGE quantities. I also need a drive or library to plug'em into, but whatever. . . At 6-7 bucks new these carts are downright economical, which is why I'm looking. I discovered this when a data disposal company here in Edmonton got a contract to destroy a few thousand of them. Looked it up on the net and learned about 3480 3490 tapes (fast, cheap, reliable, roomy), and now I want one of those beasts that can rack a few hundred (or thousand!) carts, switching from cart-to-cart in only 5 seconds. Oughta provide a fair backup for my puny 6 gig disk. Besides, I always like to packrat oodles of files and this sounds like the way to go. . . (It'd also look pretty cool dancing away behind my computer bench, eh? Maybe I could be one of "The Lone Gunmen" with snazzy gear like that.) I'd have rescued these ones but they were under a contract and destined to be sawn in half. It was something to do with confidentiality or some such excuse, probably related to the fact that I and others here used to retrieve juicy bits from surplussed hard drives from the governments. (heh-heh) Anywho, how far is it and how many are they? Even old carts are worth banking. Since they come new in cartons of thirty that'd be 200 bucks a box, so I'm sure you would save me a few bucks. Also does your Company have any worries about the data? Anything that Sixty Minutes would like? They may want them destroyed for good reason and I wouldn't want to put you in front of The Firing Squad. . . ;] And MOST importantly: If there are carts being dumped, there may be a drive in the pile! (Say it's so!) I'd take it even if it squeaks or only holds one cart at a time. New drives are STILL in the four-figure range!