AAD%GOLD.SCRIBE.COM@vb.cc.cmu.edu (03/19/88)
On a Sun, at least, /dev/rst0 is (number may be wrong) QIC 11 format, while /dev/rst8 is (again) QIC 24 format. I'm not sure if it's a density issue, a 4 vs 9 track issue, or what, but I find /dev/rst8 to be faster and you fit more on a tape. /dev/rst0 is, of course, more "standard", like 1600bpi round tapes. Apollo's, for example, can read a Sun tape *only* from /dev/rst8 (rct8 on the apollo), with a blocking factor of 1. One of my coworkers reputes that the same is true with Perq's. The IBM-RT (eek!) has only /dev/rst0 (under our ACIS, at least), and can read only the first n meg off of a sun tape. anthony a datri scribe systems aad%gold.scribe.com@vb