Magnetic media FTGH!

Ian S. King isking at uw.edu
Sat Oct 8 15:18:08 CDT 2016


I would love to acquire the Ultrix tapes, but I can't think of any proxies
I have in Ottawa.  Does Canada have anything like the USPS' 'express'
boxes?  Or hey, I can wait....  -- Ian

On Sat, Oct 8, 2016 at 11:30 AM, Mouse <mouse at rodents-montreal.org> wrote:

> I've just dug out and inventoried two boxes of magnetic media.  A
> little of it is not mine; a little more is stuff I'd like copies of if
> I can make it happen.
>
> But most of it is just going to leave soon, one way or another.  I'd
> rather see it go to someone who can actually use it, but it is not
> worth the costs of keeping it around to me.  I do not currently have
> any system on which I can check the contents of any of these (while
> it's possible I might get one or more set up, I can't count on it, and
> it's unlikely to happen soon).  So, while the labeling might be
> accurate, it also might not.
>
> There are a bunch of TK50s (or something similar; I know there are
> other, similar, tapes, some similar enough to fool a quick inspection;
> I didn't look in detail to be sure every one is a TK50).  They have
> labels, some printed, some scribbled, some carefully handwritten.
> Here, \ indicates a line break.
>
>         SW/gnu \ Nov 28/91
>         /usr/local \ 91/10/26
>         6.0 +  797493
>         ULTRIX V4.2 \ SUPPORTED SUBSETS \ VOL. 1
>         ULTRIX V4.2 \ SUPPORTED SUBSETS \ VOL. 2
>         Sunclock \ 91/11/21
>         AQ-PE1F0-01 C01 \ DEC FORT ULTRIX V3.2 BIN \ TK50
>         AQ-PE1F0-01 \ DEC FORT ULTRIX V3.2 BIN \ TK50
>         ULTRIX V4.2 \ MANDATORY UPGRADE
>         Kermit5A \ 91/11/21
>         DEC FORTRAN \ V3.0   (crossed out and "obsolete" written in)
>         K2  /usr/local \ 1991/03/14
>         LOTUS 1-2-3 \ 91/11/19
>         /usr/users \ 91/10/20
>         swTeX.tar.Z \ 91/11/02
>         ULTRIX V4.2 \ UNSUPPORTED SUBSETS
>
> There are numerous quarter-inch cartridge tapes (the DC600 formfactor;
> many are DC600s or DC600As, but some are other sizes/lengths/formats).
>
> Some have no label.  Three of these have absolutely no label, not even
> a manufacturer/brand label.  Nine more have a brand label but no
> indication of their contents.  One has a printed label which has been
> ripped off enough that all I'm sure of is that it had the usual
> boilerplate text for US Government users.  Two others have ripped-off
> labels; on one, all that remains legible is "tix" at the end of a word;
> the other, I can see enough of a logo to be fairly sure it was an
> Accelr8 label.
>
> Four more have labels that are short and simple enough to fit on a
> single line:
>
> 89/02/22(F) ISC0D0S0
> TO BE CHECKED
> 89/02/17   ISC0D0S0
> /files!    execlude  ./digests  &  ./misc        90/10/08   cd /files
>
> Twenty-six tapes are labeled with just their sizes.  These are written
> in my hand, so I feel fairly sure they are the result of me
> capcity-testing the tapes:
>
> SIZE: 30605 ×512
> SIZE: 30643 ×512
> SIZE: 30611 ×512
> SIZE: 30730 ×512
> SIZE: 30730 ×512
> SIZE: 114081 ×512
> SIZE: 115168 ×512
> SIZE: 116769 ×512
> SIZE: 118878 ×512
> SIZE: 119721 ×512
> SIZE: 119870 ×512
> SIZE: 119891 ×512
> SIZE: 120345 ×512
> SIZE: 120352 ×512
> SIZE: 120412 ×512
> SIZE: 120586 ×512
> SIZE: 120741 ×512
> SIZE: 120756 ×512
> SIZE: 121719 ×512
> SIZE: 121722 ×512
> SIZE: 121917 ×512
> SIZE: 122116 ×512
> SIZE: 122343 ×512
> SIZE: 122608 ×512
> SIZE: 122664 ×512
> 201796×512
>
> Five more have sticky-notes (one on the box, one on the tape) and a
> size sticker.  I _think_ the 3.5 here refers to version 3.5 or
> something (SunOS is a likely candidate).
>
> --
>         sticky-note:    3.5
>         sticky-note:    Tape 1
>         sticker:        SIZE: 121372 ×512
> --
>         sticky-note:    3.5
>         sticky-note:    Tape 2
>         sticker:        SIZE: 118586 ×512
> --
>         sticky-note:    3.5
>         sticky-note:    Tape 3
>         sticker:        SIZE: 119293 ×512
> --
>         sticky-note:    3.5
>         sticky-note:    Tape 4
>         sticker:        SIZE: 122624 ×512
> --
>         sticky-note:    3.5
>         sticky-note:    Tape 5
>         sticker:        SIZE: 120216 ×512
> --
>
> The rest are a grab-bag:
>
> --
>         NESTAR SYSTEMS INCORPORATED
>         S.O. # INT4406     PLAN 5000 (tm)
>                            Boot Utility Tape QIC24
>         SERIAL # 6050221   SYSTEM RELEASE 5.2
>         (C)  1982-1986      NESTAR SYSTEMS, INC.
> --
>         NESTAR SYSTEMS INCORPORATED
>         S.O. # INT4406     PLAN  000 (tm)
>         PLANPAK # 712      IA BACKUP TAPE QIC
>         SERIAL # 6060238   SYSTEM RELEASE 5
>         (C)  1982-1986      NESTAR SYSTEMS, INC.
> --
>         Nestar Systems, Inc.
>         Subsidiary of DSC Communications Corporation
>                         PLAN Series (tm)
>                         Boot Uility Tape QIC-24
>         FS# UPGRADE     Star Plus FS Release 1.10
>                            160-12676-002
>                (c)1982-1988 DSC Nestar Inc
> --
>         various indistinct writing; legible bits include:
>         90/2/19
>         /FICRSI
>         90/04/10
>         DIGEST
>         NeXT, SUN-SPOTS, SUN-386i
>         92/12/19
> --
>         /HOME/ICH    10/10/90 , 11/17/90, 16/15/90      1/30/91  2/1/91
>                      22.4.91
> --
>         3/15, 5/8, 7/26 (various further dates and words crossed out)
>         SUG89 (INTERESTING STUFF ONLY)  90/12/16
> --
>         IFUJ1           IFUJ1     90/03/19      TAR HOME/ICH  92/12/10
>         89/3/8          MPAQUETT  90/04/30
>         89/5/1          MPAQUETT  90/05/25
>         (indistinct)    /         92/12/08
> --
>         LAB B
>         YEAR END
>         2/2
> --
>         LAB J
>         A3  MAY 7/93
> --
>         LAB F
>         YEAR END
>         1/2
> --
>         LAB F
>         YEAR END
>         1/2
> --
>         LAB F
>         YEAR END
>         1/2
> --
>         LAB F
>         YEAR END
>         1/2
> --
>         LAB B
>         YEAR END
>         1/2b
> --
>         LAB B  4 OF 4
>                         LAB B
>                         4    4       HP
>         JAN 15 1993     n/u
> --
>         (crossed-out text omitted)
>         ABBOTT INCR DUMP
>         OCT-1-87
>         4 MAY 87 (1of2)
> --
>         NESTAR SYSTEMS INCORPORATED
>         PLAN 1000 (tm)   Print Server Version 1.1
>         IA BACKUP TAPE QIC- 11  P/N 160-12170-002
>         (C) 1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987
>         NESTAR SYSTEMS, INC. Licensed Program
> --
>         SUPERSKETCH          REL 6
>
>         © A. PENTLAND  1985,1986,1987
> --
>                         LAB B
>                         3    4       HP
>         JAN 15 1993
> --
>                 Fall- 8AT
>                 LAB B
>                 1               (unclear)
>                 End of Semester backup
> --
>         Accelr8
>         DESCRIPTION DCL8 (2,0)  EDT8 (2,0)
>         PART NUMBER 8-812-001, 002          RELEASE #:
>         TAPE  1  OF  1  .  NUMBER OF FILES       BPI
>           SN: 000646
> --
>         (SUN    3.2 SUNBIN EXPORT 68020
>         logo)   1.4" Tape (boot format), 2 of 4
>                 Part Number: 700-1256-02 Rev. A
> --
>         box:    KEE 3.1
>                 Genera 7.1
>         tape:   3.5 EXPORT SUNBIN 68020
>                 1.4" Tape (boot format), 3 of 5
>                 Part Number: 700-1600-02 Rev. A
> --
>         13/3/89
>         Relax  1of2
>         LFRL  system  and
>         saved  results
> --
>         13/3/89
>         Relax  2of2
> --
>         LAB J
>         A2    MAY 7/93
> --
>         LAB F
>         YEAR END
>         2/2
> --
>         LAB B
>         2/4
> --
>         LAB J
>         A1   MAY 7/93
> --
>
> There are also a bunch of 5¼" floppies.  34 of them are unlabeled,
> possibly completely unused:
>
>         9x      Sony branded, DSDD 48tpi
>         6x      Sony branded, "MD-2HD"
>         6x      3M branded, DS, DD, RH, MARK Q
>         9x      BASF branded, 2S/2D 48tpi
>         4x      Unbranded
>
> The BASF floppies from the above list are marked as being for sale to
> government and educational institutions only, not for resale; I don't
> know whether that has any bearing.
>
> Of the remaining floppies, some have labels short enough to be
> reasonably represented on a single line:
>
> QuickBasic 1of3
> QuickBasic 2of3
> QuickBasic 3of3
> FW Macros
> d|i|g|i|t|a|l branded, unlabeled
> BACKUP MICROVMS 4.1M 28/28  85/10/28  (scratched out)
> BACKUP MICROVMS 4.1M 27/28  85/10/28  (scratched out)
> BACKUP MICROVMS 4.1M 26/28  85/10/28  (scratched out)
> BACKUP MICROVMS 4.1M 25/28  86/10/28  (scratched out)
> ?ACKUP ????OVMS 4.1M 6/28  85/10/28  (partially ripped off)
> BACKUP MICROVMS 4.1M 5/28  85/10/28
> BACKUP MICROVMS 4.1M 4/28  85/10/28
> BACKUP MICROVMS 4.1M 3/28  85/10/28
> BACKUP MICROVMS 4.1M 2/28  85/10/28
> BACKUP MICROVMS 4.1M 1/28  85/10/28
> BACKUP MICROVMS 4.1M 9/28  85/10/28
> BACKUP MICROVMS 4.1M 8/28  85/10/28
> BACKUP MICROVMS 4.1M 7/28 85/10/28
> MS-DOS boot
> AG2012
> Maxell branded, label ripped off, all that's legible is "FEB85"
> QuickBasic              1
> QuickBasic              2
> QuickBasic              3
> Network Boot  DOS 3.1
>
> There is also a set of original Borland Turbo C diskettes:
>
>         INSTALL/HELP                    A2B0427471
>         INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT
>         COMMAND LINE/UTILITIES
>         LIBRARIES
>         HEADER FILES/LIBRARIES
>         EXAMPLES/BGI/MISC
>
> and two sets of six which appear to be working copies of the above.
>
> There are three Microsoft-branded floppies:
>
>         Microsoft Mouse   Setup/Mouse Menus 1
>         Microsoft Paintbrush    Program/Mouse Menus 2
>         Microsoft Paintbrush    Utilities Disk
>
> and two that don't fit any of the above:
>
> --
>         label partially ripped off: remaining text is
>                 BL-N639C-BH
>                 P/OS HARD DIS
>                 DISPATCH
>                 VOLUME LABEL  "PROD
>                 1983
>                 ©         Digital Equipmen
> --
>         BitFax for Windows V2.08A
>                 (01/25/93)
>
>         BitCom Deluxe with MNP5 v5.1
>                 (06/20/91)
> --
>
> This is all in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  In general, I suck at getting
> things shipped; local pickup, either in person or by proxy, is much
> preferred.  I can try to find the round tuits to ship, but it's usually
> a losing proposition (I have at least two boxes of stuff that have been
> awaiting shipment for months at this point).
>
> /~\ The ASCII                             Mouse
> \ / Ribbon Campaign
>  X  Against HTML                mouse at rodents-montreal.org
> / \ Email!           7D C8 61 52 5D E7 2D 39  4E F1 31 3E E8 B3 27 4B
>



-- 
Ian S. King, MSIS, MSCS, Ph.D. Candidate
The Information School <http://ischool.uw.edu>
Dissertation: "Why the Conversation Mattered: Constructing a Sociotechnical
Narrative Through a Design Lens

Archivist, Voices From the Rwanda Tribunal <http://tribunalvoices.org>
Value Sensitive Design Research Lab <http://vsdesign.org>

University of Washington

There is an old Vulcan saying: "Only Nixon could go to China."


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