Date   : Mon, 06 Jun 2005 20:19:00 +0000
From   : Jules Richardson <julesrichardsonuk@...>
Subject: Re: GoMMC versus hard drive. Which way to go?

On Mon, 2005-06-06 at 20:51 +0100, BeebMaster wrote:
> I'm definitely in favour of hard drives.
> 
> I'm backing 1980s solutions for 1980s machines!  You can't beat a good
old ST-506 hard drive
> connected up to the Beeb for that authentic 8-bit feel, not all this
new-fangled modern stuff being
> bolted onto the BBC - that's cheating!

Heh heh, agreed. I suppose an ideal machine to me would have both; ST506
hard disk for the data but a new-fangled widget for ease of data
transfer to/from a modern machine.  I assume that none of the widets
available will do that though - likely due to limitations in DFS code
more than anything I expect.

Transferring stuff via serial port - whilst easy enough - is  s l o w...

> A hard drive the size of a shoe box which weighs the equivalent of a
couple of breeze blocks and
> clatters away like nobody's business, beautifully crafted by artisans
and still working after 20
> years

I'm not sure what remaining lifetime to expect out of such drives, but
I've not known a failure on any of the museum systems that are run
regularly. They must be *well* beyond expected lifespan though :-)

cheers

Jules