Re: Apple II vs Atari 800

[heuser.marcus@freenet.de]

On Apr 26, 2:41 pm, Michael Black <et...@ncf.ca> wrote:
>
> So having direct access to files with a disk drive actually is a big
> improvement.

For non-sequential data access inside files a tape isn't too
useful, either.

> Slow transfer only counts once you've had something better.

Of course - but the thing was nearly as expensive a a C64 in
some countries. And for that kind of money I would *at least*
expect the speed of the Atari 8-bit computer's floppy drive
which gets the job done, too, but isn't exactly a speed demon.

> Which is the same thing with cassettes; I don't recall them
> being much of a problem other than finding the start of the
> program, but the minute I got a floppy drive in 1984 I never
> wanted to use cassettes again for programs.

Totally understandable and most people interested in a "real"
computer used floppies sooner or later.
What I really find funny though, is that there are several "turbo
tape" solutions for the C64 out there that give the user higher
speeds than a (standard) floppy drive ;-)

> There was one early commercial floppy drive system, and it
> was treated as a faster cassette system. They didn't bother
> with a real operating system, which made it easier to adapt
> the system to multiple computer types, so you saved at a
> specific location on the floppy, and when loading had to
> specify where it started (and maybe ended, I can't remember). > At the time, at least thirty years ago, it was still better than
> cassettes.

Sounds like those old drum memories.

bye
Marcus