Date   : Thu, 16 Sep 1982 1821-:00PDT (Thursday)
From   : ucla-vax!ucivax!csuf!bytebug@Ucla-Security
Subject: Argh..#@&%^% CP/M

Yes... standardization would be nice, but not just with track 0!  I think
a much greater problem is the lack of standardization on entire diskettes.
The only "standard" format is the 8" single-density format that Digital
Research (and others) distribute their software in.  If you have 5 1/4" or
double density 8" you can just about give up on being able to easily give
your disks to the guy down the block who has a CP/M system from a different
vendor.  It would have been nice if Digital Research would have stepped in
when OEMs started developing 8" double density and 5 1/4" systems and
define some sort of standard for them as well.  Or if we want a hundred
different flavors so each OEM can do their own thing, we could have defined
the end of track 0 sector 1 (or some *STANDARD* place) to contain a copy
of the disk parameter and sector translate tables to use when reading that
diskette.  Everyone's BIOS could then have a log-in procedure, and everyone
could read everyone else's diskettes.  Wouldn't that be nice?

       -roger