cottrell@NBS-VMS (04/12/85)
/*
> NO, no, no, no mandatory tape labelling.
Really. Real programmers never mount wrong tapes. Seriously, it's
more of a pain than it's worth. Same with modem control for tty's.
I'll logout when I'm done, thank you. Don't kick me off because I
powered down the tty to reset it, or switched ttys or rotated my
host selector switch.
jim cottrell@nbs
*/
jbn@wdl1.UUCP (04/17/85)
Actually, when it is all fully supported, mandatory tape labeling is very convenient. The user calls for a tape file by giving a list of reel numbers, the order for the operator to mount the tape appears on the console, the reel number appears in illuminated numbers atop the tape drive, one of the operators puts the tape on the drive and pushes the LOAD button, the drive closes the door, removes the tape seal, threads the tape, reads the first block, and checks the label; if it's the wrong tape, the drive unloads the tape, opens the door, and logs the wrong mount in the system log for later operator discipline, then calls for the right tape again. When you get to the end of a reel, the next tape gets mounted without the application program even being aware that a reel break occured. When writing, new blank tapes are allocated and labels printed automatically as writing continues over reel boundaries. I'm describing a big UNIVAC mainframe shop here; IBM operations are similar. But this is what tape is like in the big tape shops. John Nagle