31 May
2000
31 May
'00
5:05 p.m.
Responding to an older message...
On Tue, 30 May 2000, Tony Duell wrote:
However, I've just thought of a better example : I
once saw a card for an
Apple ][ containing a 1771 and associated components (and probably a
ROM). It linked to an external box containing 2 8" drives. The official
purpose was to allow an Apple with a Z80 Softcard to read standard SSSD
CP/M disks. But I am _sure_ it could have been used from Apple DOS given
the right software.
Which means the archive format would have to allow for :
Apple ][, 16 sector 5.25" GCR-encoded disk
and
Apple ][, 26 sector, 8", FM encoded disk.
It may be a _very_ unusual format, but a proposed archive format should
be able to handle _anything_. In any case, I would think that 256
sub-formats for each machine would be plenty, which means this adds _1
byte_ to the archive size. Not really a problem IMHO.
I suppose a sub-format byte wouldn't hurt. What I don't like about it is
that it will require that someone be maintaining a database of all the
sub-formats. But I guess since we have a machine identifier and this will
have to be maintained as well, a sub-format byte is not too demanding.
Of course, there will have to be a central person who is responsible for
receiving input for new machine and sub-format types, updating the
database with the new computer types and sub-format types, and
disseminating this from a website.
This is something that can be hosted from the VCF server.
The header could also include a text description entered in by the
archiver that could describe anything special about the archive. In fact,
I envision the archiving program having a section where the archiver
inputs his/her name and e-mail address, which will get encoded along with
the archive.
Sellam International Man of Intrigue and Danger
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