Date   : Sat, 02 Jun 2001 10:16:32 -0700 (PDT)
From   : Thomas Harte <T.Harte@...>
Subject: Re: Tape reading/writing

Brian Ross :

> Now if only the emulator would write to a 'tape' I could save my 
> elite commanders (hint, hint). 

The emulator can write to a tape in the next release! And that isn't just a
foolhardy claim, the code is already written and working. 
Actually, theoretically you could attach a cassette player to your sound
card and save/load all your files via that in the time honoured fashion with
the next release, but in reality I think I have broken file saving by that
method. Its very hard to tell when your sound card has a broken input line!

WH Scholten wrote :

> - just about no utilities, and certainly none to extract from/add
> to/catalogue an uef file.

I think David Boddie
(http://www.david.boddie.net/Software/Tape2Disc/index.html) might disagree.

Actually, looking at his page I recall the T2??? file format invented by
Slogger for use on the actual machines which handles more than INF, but
still leaves regions of high tone (and gaps) implicit. Which isn't strictly
relevant, but is a 'better than INF' format which backs up your claim that
formats can be entirely useful and well used by their target audience
without anyone much making a mental note.

> - 'Noticed in other ways': Have you seen a real discussion (not
> isolated posts) about uef and a good tape format for emulators on
> this list? I haven't (same for .dsk and .inf tape format
> suggestions).

Not on this list, no. But I have received emails from people requesting
information about the format or help implementing it in their emulator. 

>  So what's your point? Are you angry about some of my comments? 

No, my writing style is often seemingly angry - i.e. short and to the point
- even though I am nothing like angry. Too much Pinter & Osborne at a
formative age I'm afraid. Actually I drafted that message about three times
to try and stop it from sounding offensive, but clearly failed miserably.

>  Anyway, this is a waste of time on an irrelevant subject, and I won't
>  explain or comment any further on this subject.

Apologies. To all!

-Thomas





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