DOCSLIB.ORG

IBM Tape History – Session 1: Tape Media Bill Phillips, Ric Bradshaw, Andy Gaudet

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
IBM Tape History – Session 1: Tape Media Bill Phillips, Ric Bradshaw, Andy Gaudet IBM Tape History – Session 1: Tape Media Bill Phillips, Ric Bradshaw, Andy Gaudet Moderated by: Tom Gardner Recorded: October 12, 2015 Tucson, AZ Also present off camera: Joel Levine Al Rizzi John Teale CHM Reference number: X7617.2016 © 2015 Computer History Museum IBM Tape History – Session 1: Media Introduction This is session one of five sessions held in Tucson, AZ, regarding IBM’s tape storage history. The five sessions are: 1. Tape Media (CHM catalog number: 102737992) 2. Overview of tape products and product management (CHM catalog number: 102737994) 3. 3480 tape drive (CHM catalog number: 102738021) 4. Linear Tape Open (LTO) Consortium (CHM catalog number: 102738023) 5. Recovery of tapes damaged in Challenger disaster (CHM catalog number: 102738025). IBM’s tape development began in the late 1940s in the Kenyon Mansion, Poughkeepsie, NY, (later IBM’s management training site)1 and moved to the then new Poughkeepsie lab in 1954. The first production units shipped in 1952. In 1965 production and development moved to Boulder, Colorado, then from Boulder to San Jose, California in 1973 and then back to Boulder in 19772. Its movement to Tucson, Arizona, was announced that same year and began in 1978. For additional history on tape products and technology see: 1. “History of Tape”, IBM Corp., 1978 ca., in CHM lot X7677.2016 2. “Innovations in the Design of Magnetic Tape Subsystems,” Phillips et. al., IBM JRD, September 1981, p. 691-99 3. “Data Storage on Tape,” W. Phillips, in Magnetic Recording - The First 100 Years, Daniel et. al., IEEE Press (c) 1999, p. 252-69 4. “Fifty years of IBM innovation with information storage on magnetic tape,” Bradshaw and Schroder, IBM JRD, July 2003, p. 373-84, IBM Tucson was responsible for a number of tape innovations including the 3480 tape drive and cartridge and the consortium that led to the LTO standard. Employment in Tucson peaked in the mid-1980s at more than 5,000. Production was ended at Tucson in the late 1980s. New media product development ended in 1988. New tape drive development ended in the mid-1990s. As of 2016 IBM in Tucson continued to participate in tape standards development as a part of the LTO Consortium3 as well as managing IBM storage products4. This session on media is primarily focused on the development of the chromium dioxide media first introduced by IBM for the 3480 tape drive; however it includes information on the earlier reel-to-reel tape media as well as the 3850 Mass Storage media. The following table summarizes tape media discussed herein: Tape media Approximate Recording material Binder Used on code name Date MST 1957 ca. Iron oxide Estane Reel-to-reel (Multi-System Tape) 1See, http://pages.vassar.edu/casperkill/the-kenyon-estate-and-boardman-road/ 2Source: “Celebrating Forty Years of Tape, 1952-1992,” IBM Corporation, Tucson AZ, 1992 ca 3See, http://www.lto.org/ 4 See, “IBM Tucson Today” 2005 ca., downloaded February 22, 2017, Attachment 3 hereto. CHM Ref: X7617.2016 © 2015 Computer History Museum Page 2 of 135 IBM Tape History – Session 1: Media MSS 1975 Iron oxide 3850 Mass storage (Mass Storage System) system Mustang Before 1978 Iron oxide 3480 development Stallion 1978 Chromium dioxide Estane 5701 polyester 3480 development polyurethane Pegasus 1985 Chromium dioxide Morthane 310N Initial 3480 cartridges Sonoita 1986? Chromium dioxide 3480 cartridges and beyond Extensive editorial changes from the video suggested mainly by Ric Bradshaw are shown in italic times new roman font. Changes made for clarity are shown in [brackets]. Interviews Gardner: I'm Tom Gardner. I'm here for the Computer History Museum in Tucson, Arizona. It's October 12, 2015. For today's panel, we have three distinguished 3480 and IBM veterans to talk about tape technology in general, hopefully, from acetate through to Mylar and chromium dioxide, and about the 3480 media in general. But this really is what you guys want to talk about, not what I want to talk about or the museum wants to hear. We want to hear your recollections of the tape business with emphasis on the 3480 media. And now I'll let each of you take a few minutes to tell us about your background and what brings you to this great facility provided to us by West Press. On my left, first is. Ric Bradshaw: I’m Ric Bradshaw. I joined IBM in 1978 out of grad school. And that's another whole story in itself. I was actually not intending to work for IBM ever. <laughter> My bosses were Joe Vranka in Boulder, and then in Tucson Dick Stacy, Bob Madeya, Lee Weaver, Ed Childers, Rick Meyers, Mike Liddicoat and finally John Teale. [Ric retired from IBM in 2007.] Bradshaw: I was working on applied polymer chemistry. I was also interested in phenolic resins. And before that I got drafted, so my two years during the Vietnam War as a hiatus from my work in grad school. But in '78, a guy came through to see one of my professors, the head of the department, Dr. Monk. And he was on his way to Tucson for recruiting, and he stopped by and he said, "Do you know anybody in this college that actually does applied work?" "Oh, yeah. Talk to this guy. He's a nut job. He's upstairs." <laughter> Bradshaw: "But I doubt," and he said-- Anyway, so he comes up and he says, "I want to see you. Come over and fill out a resume thing." Well, I had already filled out a proposal to work for Los Alamos in fusion targets, and that's the one I was really working to get out. But anyway, so my boss calls me. He was then the head of the graduate fund, Dr. Burke [Dr Burke was the Dean of the Grad School at ASU and professor of Polymer Chemistry], He told me to take the interview as IBM had never come to ASU for students) tells me to interview this. They need to try and get IBM to do recruiting. They never did. They CHM Ref: X7617.2016 © 2015 Computer History Museum Page 3 of 135 IBM Tape History – Session 1: Media never came to ASU. It wasn't considered a "good enough" school to recruit from. So I go into this interview, and there was all these MBA guys sitting there with suits and stuff, getting ready to interview. And I came in my lab coat and my long hair. I didn't have a beard then. That's Bill's fault. <laughter> Bradshaw: Because when I went to Boulder, I had to grow a beard. It was freezing. Anyway, and he grew a beard every winter. So the point was that I really didn't want this job. So I said, "Look, you're wasting your time." And I hear this, "No, no. Let me get rid of all these idiots." And he's saying this in front of this room full of people in suits waiting to get a job with IBM. 'Cause I didn't know this, he was a chemical engineer, and he was working for IBM and GPD and he was there on a recruiting trip. I can't remember his name now. Oh, that's amazing, because I usually remember people. But so I just blew it off. I said, that ain't gonna happen. Well, about two weeks later, I get a call to call this guy in Boulder, John Slaten who was the professional hire lead. They want to have me go up for an interview. And that's when I went up and met Bill for the first time and my host was Dr. Robert “Bob” Haines, who worked for Joe Vranka I thought for sure I'm not going to get a job here but didn’t want to burn the bridge for others at ASU. Anyway, they made me an offer which was at that time they were hiring me as an engineer for I think it was $18,000 dollars a year. And this was in 1978. My wife, I had been married not that long. I got married just after I got out of the Army in 1973. <laughter> Bradshaw: But the point was, I really didn't want the job, but my wife said, "Take it. Take it." She was afraid, 'cause the problem was I was making money from my professor. He was getting me involved with all these other projects that had nothing to do with my Ph.D. But I was making him a lot of money. He had, like, five grants and stuff. And he was afraid I'd leave. So I had to get a job to get the hell out of school. So I said, "Okay." So we went and joined-- Well, Joe Vranka hired me and gave me a job in the Media Development group in the Tape Development function run by Bill Phillips. And I thought at the time that he had made a mistake, because he really thought I was a good liberal. <laughter> Bradshaw: And he didn't realize that I was about as right wing as, you know, Goldwater. And which is another whole story. 'Cause actually, in the seventh grade, I actually ran a campaign, a mock campaign doing it for Barry Goldwater. That's how back long ago. And that was in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. You asked for some-- I was born in Denver. My dad was a World War II veteran. His father was gassed in World War I. Let's see, he was five years-old when his father died of pneumonia they called it in those days.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Netvault® Supported Storage Targets Disk Based Storage, Virtual Tape Libraries, Automated Libraries, Tape and Optical Drives
    NetVault® Supported Storage Targets Disk Based Storage, Virtual Tape Libraries, Automated Libraries, Tape and Optical Drives Latest Updates – What’s New .............................................................................................................................................. 4 NetVault Support Policy ..................................................................................................................................................... 4 Additional NetVault Compatibility Matrices ............................................................................................................................ 4 Important Considerations ................................................................................................................................................... 4 NetVault Supported Accelerated Protocols ............................................................................................................................. 6 Quest0B Software – Quest Recommended ............................................................................................................................. 7 Data1B Domain ................................................................................................................................................................. 8 NetVault Supported Virtual Tape Libraries (VTL) ................................................................................................................... 10 Quest2B Software – Quest Recommended ...........................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Implementing IBM Tape in UNIX Systems
    Front cover Implementing IBM Tape in UNIX Systems How to set up tape drives and libraries in multiple UNIX environments New: Ultrium3 and WORM features Integration with popular backup products Charlotte Brooks Alv Jon Hovda Reena Master Abbe Woodcock ibm.com/redbooks International Technical Support Organization Implementing IBM Tape in UNIX Systems October 2005 SG24-6502-03 Note: Before using this information and the product it supports, read the information in “Notices” on page xiii. Fourth Edition (October 2005) This edition applies to IBM TotalStorage 3580 Tape Drive, IBM TotalStorage 3581 Tape Autoloader, IBM TotalStorage 3581 2U Tape Autoloader, IBM TotalStorage 3582 Tape Library, IBM TotalStorage 3583 Tape Library, IBM TotalStorage 3584 Tape Library, and IBM TotalStorage 3592 Tape Drive. © Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005. All rights reserved. Note to U.S. Government Users Restricted Rights -- Use, duplication or disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corp. Contents Figures . ix Notices . xiii Trademarks . xiv Preface . .xv The team that wrote this redbook. .xv Become a published author . xvi Comments welcome. xvii Summary of changes. xix October 2005, Fourth Edition . xix July 2004, Third Edition . xix Part 1. Setting up IBM tape in UNIX. 1 Chapter 1. Introduction to LTO Ultrium with UNIX . 3 1.1 LTO overview . 4 1.1.1 IBM TotalStorage LTO Ultrium models . 5 1.1.2 IBM TotalStorage 3580 Tape Drive. 7 1.1.3 IBM TotalStorage 3581 Tape Autoloader . 9 1.1.4 IBM TotalStorage 3581 2U Tape Autoloader . 10 1.1.5 IBM TotalStorage 3582 Tape Library . 11 1.1.6 IBM TotalStorage 3583 Tape Library .
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 3. IBM 3592 Tape Cartridge
    IBM 3592 Tape Drives and TS1120 Controller Operator Guide 3592 Models J1A, E05, E06, EU6, E07, E08, EH7, EH8, 55F, 60F, J70, and C06 IBM GA32-0556-09 Note Before using this information and the product it supports, read the information in “Safety and environmental notices” on page ix and “Notices” on page 75. Edition notice This edition applies to the tenth release of the IBM® 3592 Tape Drives and Controller Operator Guide and to all subsequent releases and modifications until otherwise indicated in new editions. © Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 2006, 2018. US Government Users Restricted Rights – Use, duplication or disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corp. Read this first This is the tenth edition of the IBM 3592 Tape Drives and Controller Operator Guide (November 2018). What's new in this edition (November 2018) Revision bars (|) appear next to information that was added or changed since the release of the last edition (GA32-0556-08). Changes include • Added updates for the IBM Rack Mount Model 60F tape drive. • Miscellaneous editorial changes. Ninth Edition Revision bars (|) appear next to information that was added or changed since the release of the last edition (GA32-0556-07). Changes include • Added updates for the IBM Rack Mount Model 55F tape drive. • Miscellaneous editorial changes. Eighth Edition • Added updates for the IBM Model EH7 and EH8 tape canisters and Rack Mount Kit, Feature code 4804. • Miscellaneous editorial changes. Attention: Do not put the system into a dusty or contaminated environment that contains corrosive gases (for example, high sulfur) or metallic shavings (for example, zinc whiskers).
    [Show full text]
  • 2 9215FQ14 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Category Pages Facilities & Buildings 3-10 General Reference 11-20 Human Resources
    2 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Category Pages Facilities & Buildings 3-10 General Reference 11-20 Human Resources 21-22 Legal 23-25 Marketing 26 Personal Names (Individuals) 27 Predecessor Companies 28-29 Products & Services 30-89 Public Relations 90 Research 91-97 April 10, 2007 9215FQ14 3 Facilities & Buildings Q. When did IBM first open its offices in my town? A. While it is not possible for us to provide such information for each and every office facility throughout the world, the following listing provides the date IBM offices were established in more than 300 U.S. and international locations: Adelaide, Australia 1914 Akron, Ohio 1917 Albany, New York 1919 Albuquerque, New Mexico 1940 Alexandria, Egypt 1934 Algiers, Algeria 1932 Altoona, Pennsylvania 1915 Amsterdam, Netherlands 1914 Anchorage, Alaska 1947 Ankara, Turkey 1935 Asheville, North Carolina 1946 Asuncion, Paraguay 1941 Athens, Greece 1935 Atlanta, Georgia 1914 Aurora, Illinois 1946 Austin, Texas 1937 Baghdad, Iraq 1947 Baltimore, Maryland 1915 Bangor, Maine 1946 Barcelona, Spain 1923 Barranquilla, Colombia 1946 Baton Rouge, Louisiana 1938 Beaumont, Texas 1946 Belgrade, Yugoslavia 1926 Belo Horizonte, Brazil 1934 Bergen, Norway 1946 Berlin, Germany 1914 (prior to) Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 1938 Beyrouth, Lebanon 1947 Bilbao, Spain 1946 Birmingham, Alabama 1919 Birmingham, England 1930 Bogota, Colombia 1931 Boise, Idaho 1948 Bordeaux, France 1932 Boston, Massachusetts 1914 Brantford, Ontario 1947 Bremen, Germany 1938 9215FQ14 4 Bridgeport, Connecticut 1919 Brisbane, Australia
    [Show full text]
  • IBM Totalstorage Product Guide
    IBM Systems and Technology Group IBM TotalStorage Product Guide Strategic storage imperatives Three proven methods for simplifying an IT infrastructure are Information lifecycle management Information technology is the lifeblood of any business, espe- consolidation, virtualization and automated management. Each The primary goal of information lifecycle management (ILM) cially today when organizational performance depends on technique can be applied to all areas that compose an IT techniques is to optimize the storage and management of information on demand. Business accountability hinges on it, operation—servers, storage and networks. information based on its value to your business. An ILM laws and regulations mandate it, customers demand it and Within the storage arena, consolidation can include reducing process can help a business maximize the value of informa- effective business processes rely on it. With information on the number of data centers and sharing fewer large-capacity tion, from the moment of its creation to the moment of its dis- demand, businesses can respond quickly with the flexibility to storage systems among a greater number of application posal. Corporate governance policies, business processes and meet customer requirements, market opportunities or external servers. Consolidated resources can cost less and can be compliance guidelines all influence ILM policies. threats. But as utterly valuable as information on demand has easier to share and protect. The primary capabilities from IBM that support ILM include become, it also has become more costly to store, maintain optimized storage environments with tiered storage platforms, and protect. Storage virtualization involves a shift in thinking from physical to logical—treating storage as a logical pool of resources, not policy-based retention management software, content and A comprehensive approach to the challenges of providing individual devices.
    [Show full text]
  • Timeline of Computer History
    Timeline of Computer History By Year By Category Search AI & Robotics (55) Computers (145) Graphics & Games (48) Memory & Storage (61)(61) Networking & The Popular Culture (50) Software & Languages (60) Manchester Mark I Williams- 1947 Kilburn tube EDSAC 1949 Manchester Mark I Williams-Kilburn tube At Manchester University, Freddie Williams and Tom Kilburn develop the Williams-Kilburn tube. The tube, tested in 1947, was the first high-speed, entirely electronic memory. It used a cathode ray tube (similar to an analog TV picture tube) to store bits as dots on the screen’s surface. Each dot lasted a fraction of a second before fading so the information was constantly refreshed. Information was read by a metal pickup plate that would detect a change in electrical charge. Maurice Wilkes with EDSAC Maurice Wilkes and his team at the University of Cambrid construct the Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calcula (EDSAC). EDSAC, a stored program computer, used me delay line memory. Wilkes had attended the University of Pennsylvania's Moore School of Engineering summer sessions about the ENIAC in 1946 and shortly thereafter Magnetic drum memory began work on the EDSAC. 1950 MIT - Magnetic core memory ERA founders with various magnetic drum memories Eager to enhance America’s codebreaking capabilities, the US Navy contracts with Engineering Research Associates (ERA) for a stored program computer. The result was Atlas, completed in 1950. Atlas used magnetic drum memory, which stored information on the outside of a rotating cylinder coated with ferromagnetic material and circled by read/write heads in Jay Forrester holding early core memory plane fixed positions.
    [Show full text]
  • IBM Storage Speichertechnologien Unter Der Lupe
    Kurt Gerecke Juni 2012 IBM Storage Speichertechnologien unter der Lupe © 2012 IBM Corporation IBM System Storage Agenda 1 Wir habe ein Geburtstagskind – Historie zum Aufwärmen ..... 2 Disk Technologien 3 Solid State Disks (SSD‘s) 4 Storage Class Memories und Positionierung 5 Millipede und optische Speichertechnologien 6 Tape Technologien 7 Speicherhierarchie 8 Nano-Technologien © 2012 IBM Corporation 1952: IBM Modell 726 erster Bandspeicher • 18.000 Lochkarten • 1.440.000 Characters • 1.44 MB • Acetat Plastikband mit Eisenoxydbeschichtung • 7-Spur Technik (6 x Daten, 1 x Redundanzprüfung) • Datenrate 7.5 Kbit/s, S/L-Geschwindigkeit 1.9 m/s • entwickelt in Phougkeepsie im Zuge der IBM 701 Entwicklung Photo 1951 Prototyp Photo 1952 IBM 726 in Betrieb 720 Meter Bandlänge 100 BPI 1953: IBM Modell 727 (728) • 24.000 Lochkarten • 1.920.000 Characters • 1.92 MB • 7 Spur-Technik 1958: IBM Modell 729 • 50.000 Lochkarten • 4.000.000 Characters • 4 MB • 7 Spur-Technik Bild: 729 Deutsches Museum München Modelle I bis VI • Erstes Tape Laufwerk mit Schreibkontrolle • Einlesen der Zeichen in ein Prüfregister 1961: IBM 7340 Hyper Tape Drives • Kontrolleinheit IBM 7640 • Für Rechner 7074, 7080, 7090 • Doppelte Übertragungsraten vs. 729 • 7-Spur-Technik • Höchste Datenrate WW • 170.000 Zeichen/s • 112.5 Zoll/s Tape Speed • Modelle 1 – 3 • 8 MB später 16 MB 1964: IBM 2401 Magnetbandsystem • speziell für System /360 • 9-Spur Technik • 800 BPI • 20 MB später 40 MB • erster ECC • CRC Cyclic Redundancy Check • Automatic Error Capture & Correction • Basis für spätere ECC‘s Löschschutzring 1970: IBM 3420 Modelle 3,5,7 • System /370 • 3803 Kontroller • 9-Spur-Technik • 800-1600 BPI • 120/200/320 Kilobytes/s •..
    [Show full text]
  • The Commodore 128 1 What's in This Book 2 the Commodore 128: Three Computers in One 3 the C128 Mode 6 the CP/M Mode 9 the Bottom Line 9
    The Official Book T {&~ Commodore \! 128 Personal Computer - - ------~-----...::.......... Mitchell Waite, Robert Lafore, and Jerry Volpe The Official Book ~~ Commodore™128 Personal Computer Howard W. Sams & Co., Inc. A Subsidiary of Macmillan, Inc. 4300 West 62nd Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46268 U.S.A. © 1985 by The Waite Group, Inc. FIRST EDITION SECOND PRINTING - 1985 All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical. photocopying, recording, or otherwise, with­ out written permission from the publisher. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. International Standard Book Number: 0-672-22456-9 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 85-50977 Illustrated by Bob Johnson Typography by Walker Graphics Printed in the United States of America The Waite Group has made every attempt to supply trademark information about company names, products, and services mentioned in this book. The trademarks indicated below were derived from various sources. The Waite Group cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. 8008 and Intel are trademarks of Intel Corp. Adventure is a trademark of Adventure International. Altair 8080 is a trademark of Altair. Apple II is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. Atari and Atari 800 are registered trademarks of Atari Inc. Automatic Proofreader is a trademark of COMPUTE! Publications.
    [Show full text]
  • EDGE EFFECTS and SUBMICRON TRACKS in MAGNETIC TAPE RECORDING Graduation Committee
    EDGE EFFECTS AND SUBMICRON TRACKS IN MAGNETIC TAPE RECORDING Graduation Committee Prof. dr. ir. J. van Amerongen Univ. Twente (chairman) Prof. dr. J.C. Lodder Univ. Twente (promotor) Dr. ir. J.P.J. Groenland Univ. Twente (assistant promotor) Prof. dr. ir. P.P.L. Regtien Univ. Twente Dr. ir. L. Abelmann Univ. Twente Prof. dr. P.R. Bissell Univ. Central Lancashire, UK Prof. dr. J.-P. Nozi`eres Spintec, CEA/CNRS Grenoble, FR Prof. dr. S.B. Luitjens Philips Research Laboratories The research described in this thesis was funded by the Dutch Technology Foundation STW, project TTF.5041 “High-density recording in magnetic tape”. The work was performed in the Systems and Materials for Information storage group (SMI) of the MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente. Printed by W¨ohrmann Print Service, Zutphen Copyright c 2005 by Adrian Hozoi ISBN 90-365-2166-1 EDGE EFFECTS AND SUBMICRON TRACKS IN MAGNETIC TAPE RECORDING DISSERTATION to obtain the doctor’s degree at the University of Twente, on the authority of the rector magnificus, prof. dr. W.H.M. Zijm, on account of the decision of the graduation committee, to be publicly defended on Thursday 17 March 2005 at 15.00 by Adrian Hozoi born on 18 February 1977 in Ia¸si,Romania This dissertation is approved by promotor: Prof. dr. J.C. Lodder assistant promotor: Dr. ir. J.P.J. Groenland Contents 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Brief Story of Magnetic Tape Storage . 1 1.2 Magnetic Tape Storage Nowadays . 5 1.2.1 A Multitude of Formats . 5 1.2.2 Areal Density Trends .
    [Show full text]
  • Electronic Dreams: How 1980S Britain Learned to Love the Computer. London: Bloomsbury Sigma, 2016
    Lean, Tom. "The Boom." Electronic Dreams: How 1980s Britain Learned to Love the Computer. London: Bloomsbury Sigma, 2016. 115–141. Bloomsbury Collections. Web. 28 Sep. 2021. <http://dx.doi.org/10.5040/9781472936653.0008>. Downloaded from Bloomsbury Collections, www.bloomsburycollections.com, 28 September 2021, 15:11 UTC. Copyright © Tom Lean 2016. You may share this work for non-commercial purposes only, provided you give attribution to the copyright holder and the publisher, and provide a link to the Creative Commons licence. CHAPTER FIVE The Boom uying from a computer shop could be a bewildering Bexperience in 1983. You enter in search of expert help, tentatively move your way past the screens fl ashing with the newest games, racks of computer magazines and programming books, and fi nd a pale teenager who seems to work here. ‘ You want to buy your fi rst computer? ’ he asks ‘ Well, let ’ s see what we ’ ve got in stock … want to learn about computers? How about trying a ZX81? A bit old, and black and white, and the keyboard is a piece of plastic, but it ’ s cheap and there ’ s lots of software for it … Perhaps a BBC Micro? It’ s the one the kids use at school, and it ’ s been on television a lot, and its got Econet, the Tube, a printer port, ah but it’ s £ 400 … maybe something cheaper? The Oric ’ s quite nice if you like a 6502 machine, but there ’ s loads more games for the Spectrum… You don ’ t like the rubber keyboard? I ’ d off er you an Electron but we ’ ve got none in, so try a good old VIC-20, it ’ s only got 5k of RAM but we sell an expansion pack.
    [Show full text]
  • The Life of a Data Byte Be Kind and Rewind
    TEXT COMMIT TO 1 OF 24 memory ONLY The Life of a Data Byte Be kind and rewind JESSIE FRAZELLE byte of data has been stored in a number of different ways through the years as newer, better, and faster storage media are introduced. A byte is a unit of digital information that most commonly refers to eight bits. A bit is a unit of information Athat can be expressed as 0 or 1, representing a logical state. Let’s take a brief walk down memory lane to learn about the origins of bits and bytes. Going back in time to Babbage’s Analytical Engine, you can see that a bit was stored as the position of a mechanical gear or lever. In the case of paper cards, a bit was stored as the presence or absence of a hole in the card at a specific place. For magnetic storage devices, such as tapes and disks, a bit is represented by the polarity of a certain area of the magnetic film. In modern DRAM (dynamic random-access memory), a bit is often represented as two levels of electrical charge stored in a capacitor, a device that stores electrical energy in an electric field. (In the early 1960s, the paper cards used to input programs for IBM mainframes were known as Hollerith cards, named after their inventor, Herman Hollerith from the Tabulating Machines Company—which through numerous mergers is what is now known as IBM.) In June 1956, Werner Buchholz (archive. computerhistory.org) coined the word byte (archive. org) to refer to a group of bits used to encode a single acmqueue | may-june 2020 1 COMMIT TO 2 OF 24 memory I character of text (bobbemer.com).
    [Show full text]
  • IBM Netfinity Enterprise Storage Tape Backup Subsystems
    Netfinity Technology Center IBM Netfinity Enterprise Storage Tape Backup Subsystems Executive Summary Today’s applications process business data that must be maintained during system outages. The Tape drive is the industry standard for data backup. IBM’s Netfinity product line provides complete application solutions for today’s industry-standard, Intel-processor-based server marketplace. This paper addresses the technologies, performance, and capacity of current tape solutions offered in the Intel processor based server segments. 0498 IBM Netfinity White Paper Notice ã International Business Machines Corporation 1998. All rights reserved. References in this publication to IBM products, programs or services do not imply that IBM intends to make these available in all countries in which IBM operates. Any reference to an IBM product, program, or service is not intended to state or imply that only IBM’s product, program, or service may be used. Any functional equivalent program that does not infringe any of IBM’s intellectual property rights may be used instead of the IBM product, program or service. Information in this paper was developed in conjunction with use of the equipment specified, and is limited in application to those specific hardware and software products and levels. IBM may have patents or pending patent applications covering subject matter in this document. The furnishing of this document does not give you any license to these patents. You can send license inquiries, in writing, to the IBM Director of Licensing, IBM Corporation, 500 Columbus Avenue, Thornwood, NY 10594 USA. The information contained in this document has not been submitted to any formal IBM test and is distributed AS IS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
    [Show full text]