10 Jun
2005
10 Jun
'05
7:19 a.m.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Koning" <pkoning at equallogic.com>
To: <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Friday, June 10, 2005 3:43 PM
Subject: Re: Data formats was Re: Rescue of data from Pioneer 10 & 11 tapes
atJPL needed.Vintagecomputers slated for demolition.
The question you pose is probably not relevant. My (mainframe) background is
in commercial routines (invoicing, personel, stock, wages, ....) so if I had
to rephrase the question, it would be something like "Is there (1) a Cobol
(PL/I, RPG, ....) compiler available which is compatible with the source
files I have on tape, and (2) does the compiler handle data structures (e.g.
COMP-3) in the same way as the original compiler".
If so, I wouldnt give a toss about hardware implementations. Binaries alone
are probably not enough; you would have unmodifyable programs, which
would/could raise problems like Y2K. Were the source available, you could
solve the problem, even for old data carriers
Nico
>>>> "Fred" == Fred Cisin <cisin at xenosoft.com> writes:
Fred> On Thu, 9 Jun 2005, Nico de Jong wrote:
> > > > > ... but I dont have the
foggiest idea > > > >whether the
> data is "decodeable". > The problem is if the data format is not
> documented. Agreed, but we dont even _know_ what the data looks
> like. Therefore again: let's read a tape first to see whatswhat
> Nico
Fred> I agree enthusiatically with Nico. Although it MIGHT be
Fred> difficult or "impossible" to "decode" the data, once the
Fred> "indecipherable" data has been transferred to current media,
Fred> then the whole issue of "obsolete, unobtainable hardware"
Fred> becomes moot.
True. Then it changes to "are hardware emulation and software
binaries available?" The answer will vary depending on what system
was used -- for example, it would be (for hardware and OS that is) YES
for Cyber, DEC machines. From what I've seen on this list, the answer
may not be so positive for the IBM 360 family. (Then again, possibly
there a lot could be done with current hardware. After all, the 360
architecture still exists, approximately.)