9 Jun
2005
9 Jun
'05
6:08 p.m.
On Thu, 9 Jun 2005, Nico de Jong wrote:
Agreed, but we dont even _know_ what the data looks like.
Therefore again:
let's read a tape first to see whatswhat
Nico
I agree enthusiatically with Nico. Although it MIGHT be difficult or
"impossible" to "decode" the data, once the "indecipherable"
data has
been transferred to current media, then the whole issue of "obsolete,
unobtainable hardware" becomes moot.
There are a LOT of statements made about "can't get an old computer in
order to be able to read it" being made by people who are not making ANY
effort to TRY, or even to contact museums/collectors who HAVE those old
machines. "There aren't any conputers that can read punch cards anymore",
etc.
I'm becoming convinced that the "unavailability of old computer" is code
for: "the guy who understands this stuff doesn't work here anymore,
and we don't WANT to have responsibility for the old data."
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin at xenosoft.com
> > ... but I dont have the foggiest idea
> >whether the data is "decodeable".
The problem is if the data
format is not documented.