[TUHS] Someone wants to use an exabyte

[Dave Horsfall]

On Sun, 24 Nov 2019, Larry McVoy wrote:

>> They're worse than 9-track tapes, and that's saying something :-)
>
> Really?  Are we talking about those tapes that looked like reel to reel 
> audio tapes but bigger?  Like this?
>
> https://www.canajunfinances.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/9-Track-Tape.jpg

Yes.

> Because those are 1000x more reliable than an exabyte tape, they just 
> worked.  Pretty much no matter what, you can spool up that tape and it 
> will read.  30 years later it will read.

Please read my reply about print-through, build-up of gunk, etc.  I'd be 
surprised if a 9-track was 100% readable 30 years on.

> Exabyte won't read 20 minutes later.

Bit of an exaggeration, but yes in principle.

-- Dave