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List:       tuhs
Subject:    Re: [TUHS] [simh]  2bsd tarball
From:       Dave Horsfall <dave () horsfall ! org>
Date:       2020-08-11 23:55:49
Message-ID: alpine.BSF.2.21.9999.2008120942280.10877 () aneurin ! horsfall ! org
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On Wed, 29 Jul 2020, Johnny Billquist wrote:

> However, seek times on DECtape aren't really comparable to magtape 
> either. Because DECtape deals with absolute block numbers. So you can 
> always, no matter where you are, find out where you are, and how far you 
> will need to move to get to the correct block.
> 
> With magtapes, this is pretty much impossible. You'll have to rewind, 
> and then start seeking.

Not if you used 512-byte blocks, and mounted it read-only; that way, you 
could use it as a file system (and I did, just for fun).  Oh, you also 
needed a clever tape driver, of course.  And the IRG was a bit of a 
problem, chewing up a lot of tape space.

I posted this here a while back, and some idiot (his name is not
important) practically called me a liar, until he was handed his arse
on a plate by someone else with better knowledge than him.

-- Dave
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