Date   : Wed, 09 Nov 2005 01:41:01 +0000
From   : Jules Richardson <julesrichardsonuk@...>
Subject: Re: Newsnight aired 2005/11/08

David Hunt wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> Did anyone catch Newsnight ? Go to
> <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/4418728.stm> click on view
> video the article starts at 37m 20s.

Hmm, is it possible for anyone to save a copy? I don't know how long 
that link will be valid and I don't have the tools on this 'ere Windows 
laptop to do so...

> Anyone heard of an 8.5" floppy!?! 

Once upon a time there were some really oddball sizes above the more 
common (relatively) 8" - I've not heard of 8.5" before though. If that's 
what they said then it's more likely sloppy journalism I'm afraid :(

> Perhaps old format data retrieval would be a useful income stream to a
> computer museum or a group of enthusiastic collectors...

It's something we have done in the past when the occasional person's 
asked (as a freebie, not paid work). It's definitely something I could 
see being a more regular thing sometime in the future though; in the 
past we've never had the space or the guarantee of premises from which 
to work - but all that will change over this next year...

Lots of us out there are worrying about how to read data off old media, 
and also how to store old data on modern media in a sensible format 
(take a look@...)

A lot of the problem is that someone finds they want some data off some 
old media and they just assume that it can't be done. Drives me right up 
the wall, because 5 minutes with google would turn up all sorts of 
enthusiasts, museums etc. that are likely more than willing to help. Of 
course (relatively) mainstream TV programmes which suggest that it's a 
huge problem don't exactly help - in 99% of cases the hardware's still 
around and working, or the media can be easily read on something else...


cheers

Jules