| From: | John Marchant |
| Date: | 28 Apr 2001 at 22:31:17 |
| Subject: | Re: Floppy read error |
Hi Andrew. In a message on 28-Apr-01 13:44:51, you wrote:
>> I once saw a floppy with a circular 'slot' where the magnetic
>> coating was totally worn away. That disk held an access keyfile,
>If it was a PC would it have made a difference? I mean, the only time it
>would access it would be to read the "access code", other than that it
>would just be in the drive unmoving?
It was a PC. Well....it was an Amstrad, but I can't tell you which
model. I developed the software on an Amiga 500 with a KCS 'Power PC'
emulator card, and it was much faster than that darned Amstrad!
We're discussing software and hardware in use 1985 to 1988.
>I don't think it could access it every boot time because you've said it was
>in the machine 24/7, so it is one access per day?
I'd think usually so.
>In fact, wouldn't it have recieved even LESS wear than if he had put
>it in the drive and taken it out again everyday?
I'd assume so. The software was a database (dBaseIV) for school
pupil records, and was left sitting at the main menu through most
of each working day. So I'd expect only a very few floppy accesses
per day since that Amstrad wasn't used for much else. You've
raised a very interesting point. But it's one that can never be
resolved since the Amstrad, the operator and that early version of
the software have long since gone to bye-byes: and I retired in
1992 :-)
John
The Oracle has pondered your question deeply.
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