23 May
2014
23 May
'14
11:28 a.m.
On May 23, 2014, at 2:15 PM, Al Kossow <aek at bitsavers.org> wrote:
On 5/23/14 10:42 AM, Chuck Guzis wrote:
Was it you, or Paul Pierce, who proposed a format that includes a way to represent errors
rather than only good data? That would seem to be the right starting point.
If there doesn?t seem to be a suitable spec, it might be best just to propose one. We can
all jump on the bandwagon if we like it.
paul
I did wonder why the SIMH TAP had no header,
basically saying what's in the file.
I guess it is all due to it just being hacks upon DECUS .tpc format.
It is completely inadequate for archival purposes because of the lack of metadata
and fixity information in the file.
I had heard several years ago that there was some work on a proper archival container
format for variable-block length magnetic media but I've never seen a spec for it.
I would think one exists by now at the Library of Congress with all of the media
conversion work they've been doing.
After finishing my seemingly annual move of media lab locations at CHM, I'm hoping I
can get back to magnetic media recovery soon.