X-NEWS: spcvxb alt.folklore.computers: 4239Relay-Version: VMS News - V6.0 10/3/90 VAX/VMS V5.3; site spcvxb.spc.edu
Path: spcvxb.spc.edu!njin!princeton!udel!wuarchive!uwm.edu!bionet!agate!linus!linus!mwunix.mitre.org!jcmorris
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers
Subject: Re: 3/4" tapes (was: 7 track tape)
Message-ID: <122860@linus.mitre.org>
From: jcmorris@mwunix.mitre.org (Joe Morris)
Date: 10 Oct 90 21:19:59 GMT
Reply-To: jcmorris@mwunix.mitre.org (Joe Morris)
Sender: usenet@linus.mitre.org
References: <1990Oct9.190941.595@spcvxb.spc.edu>
Organization: The Mitre Corporation
Lines: 44

In a recent article terry@spcvxb.spc.edu (Terry Kennedy, Operations Mgr) writes:
 
>  Does anyone remember the IBM "Data Cell"? It was introduced around the
>same time as the 360, as I recall. Imagine a cross between flypaper and
>a tie rack 8-). It used long strips of (maybe) 2" tape and would go fondle
>the desired strip onto the read/write station on demand (or maybe after
>being repaired). Standard procedure was to read the full tape set once per
>shift, or the beast would start sticking with disastrous results.

There are still some of us at SHARE who wear the old data cell strips
as badges to show that we support unsupported systems.  One point 
frequently made is that a nice smooth strip cannot be properly called
a data cell strip; it must be folded, spindled, and mutilated before
it can be considered authentic.  One favorite (ha!) nickname for the
Data Cell (officially the "2321") was "noodle picker" because of the
way it retrieved the strips from the carrier.  That was when it accidentally
worked as designed; more commonly (it seemed) it was called the "noodle
stuffer" for what it tried to do with the strips  when it was finished.

The device was IBM's attempt to provide a storage device for massive data
bases which could tolerate significant delays in retrieving data.  Nice
idea, but the hardware would have made Rube Goldberg envious.  Perhaps the
best summary of the problem was an emergency software fix (PTF) IBM released
for the online test procedure (OLTEP) because the diagnostics were destroying
the pick finger.

Robert Rannie of Nothern Illinois University has a standard spiel when he
hands out an old strip:

  "This strip contains 200 K of official Atomic Energy Commission secrets.
   (Note that I said 'Atomic Energy Commission', not 'Nuclear Regulatory
   Commission'.)  If you can read them, you deserve to have them."

The strips don't really have AEC secrets on them, but the spiel summarizes
the frustration of users saddled with the units.

Best use I found for one was several years ago when I was at a SHARE meeting
in Denver.  Several of us went to the Traildust, a steak house in Arapahoe
which forbids male customers from wearing ties: if a customer is found wearing
one it is cut off and stapled to the walls.  The net result is that unless
they've taken it down there is a data cell strip attached to the wall there
with my business card stapled on it...

Joe Morris