Wanted: Info on Optisys/Optidisk WORM file system

[jim stephens]

On 2/12/2021 1:30 PM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote:
> On 2/12/21 12:21 PM, Paul Koning via cctalk wrote:
>>
>>> On Feb 12, 2021, at 3:12 PM, jim stephens via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> There was a company who made a drive with glass media that a friend of ours repped for.
>>>
>>> It used a repurposed CD head which was driven hard enough to write their media.  it was sold as being able to be written and locked such that it couldn't be further modified if need be.  The nuclear security people were interested, but ultimately passed due to the size off the player, and the need for very long term access to the technology.
>> DEC had an optical WORM drive, I think it had rather large media.  Not sure if that's the one you're thinking about.  I believe it shipped but it doesn't feel like a particularly successful product.  (Then again, the worst I remember was a networking device that sold a total of 3 units over its lifetime -- the DESNC...)
> WORM appeared in the 8" and 12" disc format as well, IIRC.
>
> --Chuck
>
The company I'm thinking of had 5 1/4" drive, and appropriate media 
size.  I think your 400 or 500mb size rings familiar.

Dec didn't pick this product up, and I lost track of them and where they 
sold their product.

Fun story, may be a repeat.  The rep I mentioned was a retired Chief 
Petty Officer in the US Navy.  He was the one elected to send to make a 
Pentagon presentation about the media.  The presentation was to 
originally be to one or two officers, but once the possibility of 
something to replace the nuclear security mission was in play, it turned 
into a 30 person presentation.

He normally would have had no problem with a crowd, and was a really 
great guy.  But when he went into the conference room, there were about 
90% Admiral Flag officers, General officers, and the like there.

The CPO reaction kicked in a bit, and he said his asshole puckered about 
so many times, and he finally calmed down.

One thing an on duty CPO doesn't like is to have any officers around, as 
the job of that rank in the Navy is to run things.  A lot of times on 
board ship the reason they see officers is because something is wrong, 
so there's a learned reaction to seeing officers.

He did great, but as I said, they weren't ready to trust a startup even 
though it was 100% of what they wanted.
thanks
Jim