Data formats was Re: Rescue of data from Pioneer 10 & 11 tapes atJPL needed.Vintagecomputers slated for demolition.

[Nico de Jong]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paul Koning" <pkoning at equallogic.com>
To: <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Friday, June 10, 2005 3:43 PM
Subject: Re: Data formats was Re: Rescue of data from Pioneer 10 & 11 tapes
atJPL needed.Vintagecomputers slated for demolition.


> >>>>> "Fred" == Fred Cisin <cisin at xenosoft.com> writes:
>
>  Fred> On Thu, 9 Jun 2005, Nico de Jong wrote:
>  >> > > > > ... but I dont have the foggiest idea > > > >whether the
>  >> data is "decodeable".  > The problem is if the data format is not
>  >> documented.  Agreed, but we dont even _know_ what the data looks
>  >> like. Therefore again: let's read a tape first to see whatswhat
>  >> Nico
>
>  Fred> I agree enthusiatically with Nico.  Although it MIGHT be
>  Fred> difficult or "impossible" to "decode" the data, once the
>  Fred> "indecipherable" data has been transferred to current media,
>  Fred> then the whole issue of "obsolete, unobtainable hardware"
>  Fred> becomes moot.
>
> True.  Then it changes to "are hardware emulation and software
> binaries available?"  The answer will vary depending on what system
> was used -- for example, it would be (for hardware and OS that is) YES
> for Cyber, DEC machines.  From what I've seen on this list, the answer
> may not be so positive for the IBM 360 family.  (Then again, possibly
> there a lot could be done with current hardware.  After all, the 360
> architecture still exists, approximately.)
>

The question you pose is probably not relevant. My (mainframe) background is
in commercial routines (invoicing, personel, stock, wages, ....) so if I had
to rephrase the question, it would be something like "Is there (1) a Cobol
(PL/I, RPG, ....) compiler available which is compatible with the source
files I have on tape, and (2) does the compiler handle data structures (e.g.
COMP-3) in the same way as the original compiler".
If so, I wouldnt give a toss about hardware implementations. Binaries alone
are probably not enough; you would have unmodifyable programs, which
would/could raise problems like Y2K. Were the source available, you could
solve the problem, even for old data carriers

Nico