28 Dec
2018
28 Dec
'18
11:15 a.m.
On 12/28/18 10:46 AM, Douglas Taylor via cctalk wrote:
I have a Qualstar 1260 (Pertec Interface) and
connected it to a
PDP-11/23 with an Emulex TC02.? It was fun to see it spin the tape and
read/write data.? I could just imagine what torture it was to collect
data or install operating systems that way.
Didn't seem like torture back in the day. If you were in systems
development, it was a convenient way to test various
configurations--just grab the right tape and IPL/Deadstart/Boot from it.
In fact, disk storage was initially meant to be "working store", not
storage for masses of data. If a disk drive crashed (and they did),
you had the more reliable tape. If you were the systems type, you
probably had a stash of your own tapes in your office.
I can remember hopping the "noon balloon" out of San Jose with a large
Samsonite briefcase full of tapes (you could carry 6 reels in it; I
still have the case. It was often the best and least expensive way to
get a mass of sensitive data cross-country.
Anyone remember 7090 IBSYS or FMS? TOS/360?
--Chuck