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MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates

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  MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-02-20 02:54 -0500
    Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates JJenssen <joemajen@arcor.de> - 2026-02-20 11:27 +0100
    Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-02-22 19:26 +0000
      Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates Bobbie Sellers <bliss-sf4ever@dslextreme.com> - 2026-02-22 12:05 -0800
        Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-02-23 00:18 -0500
        Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates Nuno Silva <nunojsilva@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-23 10:08 +0000
      Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-22 20:38 +0000
        Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2026-02-23 01:07 +0000
          Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-02-23 03:43 +0000
            Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-02-23 00:31 -0500
              Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-02-23 18:29 +0000
                Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2026-02-23 22:33 +0000
                  Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-02-23 23:17 +0000
                    Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-02-24 00:46 +0000
                      Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-02-23 22:59 -0500
                        Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-02-24 06:57 +0000
                          Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-24 12:35 +0000
                      Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2026-02-24 06:58 +0000
                        Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-02-24 20:37 +0000
                Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-02-23 21:08 -0500
                  Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-02-24 07:09 +0000
          Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-02-23 00:24 -0500
            Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-23 11:33 +0000
              Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2026-02-23 16:33 +0000
              Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-02-23 19:55 -0500
            Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2026-02-23 16:33 +0000
              Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-02-23 18:48 +0000
          Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-23 11:22 +0000
          Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-02-23 23:19 +0000
          Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates Robert Riches <spamtrap42@jacob21819.net> - 2026-02-24 03:14 +0000
            Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-02-24 07:25 +0000
        Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-02-25 05:33 +0000
          Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-25 11:35 +0000
            Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-02-25 18:13 +0000
              Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2026-02-25 20:00 +0000
                Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-26 11:29 +0000
      Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-02-22 23:46 -0500
        Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-02-23 18:50 +0000
          Re: MicroSoft Perfects Dense 'Eternal' Storage on Silica Glass Plates c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-02-23 21:25 -0500

Page 2 of 2 — ← Prev page 1 [2]

#82212

On Mon, 23 Feb 2026 21:08:36 -0500, c186282 wrote:

>    Anyway, a lot of old tech has gone away. Always wanted an S-100 bus
>    computer. I think they made them all the way up to the 68020.

It only had about 50 more pins than it needed but it was a hell of a deal 
on milsurp edge connectors. The SDT bus used mostly in industrial 
controllers only had 56. I designed cards and a backplane for a client 
with a severe case of NIH with 50 . You could get away with all sorts of 
stuff at 4 or even 6 MHz. 

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#82179

On 2/22/26 20:07, Charlie Gibbs wrote:
> On 2026-02-22, The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
> 
>> On 22/02/2026 19:26, Rich wrote:
>>
>>> c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> https://phys.org/news/2026-02-glass-square-future-storage.html
>>>>
>>>> Scientists at Microsoft Research in the United States have
>>>> demonstrated a system called Silica for writing and reading
>>>> information in ordinary pieces of glass which can store two
>>>> million books' worth of data in a thin, palm-sized square.
>>>>
>>>> In a paper published today in Nature, the researchers say
>>>> their tests suggest the data will be readable for more than
>>>> 10,000 years.
>>>
>>> Try obtaining a new 8", 5.25" or 3.5" floppy disk mechanism today in
>>> 2026.  And, assuming you found one (new old stock maybe?) try finding a
>>> reasonably recent computer to which you can attach it (floppy ports
>>> have disappeared too).
>>>
>> Plenty of 3.5" around. Not so may 5.25...
>>
>> Plenty second hand tho
>>
>> And it isn't hard if you *really* want to, to reproduce the mechanism
> 
> I still have a machine with a 5 1/4-inch drive and a network interface.
> I also have an IMSAI with a pair of 8-inch drives, but unfortunately
> its boot ROM has rotted.  Assuming I could find a listing of the ROM,
> I'm back to the issue of finding appropriate hardware, i.e. something
> that will burn a 2708.

   Good luck .....

   Tech is more perishable than raw fish
   on a summer day.

   Now there MIGHT be some small companies
   that COULD burn you new ROMs - but the
   fee would be very high. Now if you had
   some insider in a tech-heavy college
   computer lab, they probably HAVE all the
   needed stuff in a closet somewhere and
   would see it as an academic challenge ...
   as a fun/educational project.

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#82186

On 23/02/2026 05:24, c186282 wrote:
> On 2/22/26 20:07, Charlie Gibbs wrote:
>> On 2026-02-22, The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>> On 22/02/2026 19:26, Rich wrote:
>>>
>>>> c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> https://phys.org/news/2026-02-glass-square-future-storage.html
>>>>>
>>>>> Scientists at Microsoft Research in the United States have
>>>>> demonstrated a system called Silica for writing and reading
>>>>> information in ordinary pieces of glass which can store two
>>>>> million books' worth of data in a thin, palm-sized square.
>>>>>
>>>>> In a paper published today in Nature, the researchers say
>>>>> their tests suggest the data will be readable for more than
>>>>> 10,000 years.
>>>>
>>>> Try obtaining a new 8", 5.25" or 3.5" floppy disk mechanism today in
>>>> 2026.  And, assuming you found one (new old stock maybe?) try finding a
>>>> reasonably recent computer to which you can attach it (floppy ports
>>>> have disappeared too).
>>>>
>>> Plenty of 3.5" around. Not so may 5.25...
>>>
>>> Plenty second hand tho
>>>
>>> And it isn't hard if you *really* want to, to reproduce the mechanism
>>
>> I still have a machine with a 5 1/4-inch drive and a network interface.
>> I also have an IMSAI with a pair of 8-inch drives, but unfortunately
>> its boot ROM has rotted.  Assuming I could find a listing of the ROM,
>> I'm back to the issue of finding appropriate hardware, i.e. something
>> that will burn a 2708.
> 
>    Good luck .....
> 
>    Tech is more perishable than raw fish
>    on a summer day.
> 
>    Now there MIGHT be some small companies
>    that COULD burn you new ROMs - but the
>    fee would be very high.

In the UK £12...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143674610911

>     Now if you had
>    some insider in a tech-heavy college
>    computer lab, they probably HAVE all the
>    needed stuff in a closet somewhere and
>    would see it as an academic challenge ...
>    as a fun/educational project.
> 

What you need is the code.

I think this may be it

https://github.com/bhall66/IMSAI-8080

ASM, LST and HEX fileds for the boot and basic ROMS.




-- 
Karl Marx said religion is the opium of the people.
But Marxism is the crack cocaine.

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#82188

On 2026-02-23, The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:

> On 23/02/2026 05:24, c186282 wrote:
>
>> On 2/22/26 20:07, Charlie Gibbs wrote:
>>
>>> On 2026-02-22, The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 22/02/2026 19:26, Rich wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> https://phys.org/news/2026-02-glass-square-future-storage.html
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Scientists at Microsoft Research in the United States have
>>>>>> demonstrated a system called Silica for writing and reading
>>>>>> information in ordinary pieces of glass which can store two
>>>>>> million books' worth of data in a thin, palm-sized square.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> In a paper published today in Nature, the researchers say
>>>>>> their tests suggest the data will be readable for more than
>>>>>> 10,000 years.
>>>>>
>>>>> Try obtaining a new 8", 5.25" or 3.5" floppy disk mechanism today in
>>>>> 2026.  And, assuming you found one (new old stock maybe?) try finding a
>>>>> reasonably recent computer to which you can attach it (floppy ports
>>>>> have disappeared too).
>>>>>
>>>> Plenty of 3.5" around. Not so may 5.25...
>>>>
>>>> Plenty second hand tho
>>>>
>>>> And it isn't hard if you *really* want to, to reproduce the mechanism
>>>
>>> I still have a machine with a 5 1/4-inch drive and a network interface.
>>> I also have an IMSAI with a pair of 8-inch drives, but unfortunately
>>> its boot ROM has rotted.  Assuming I could find a listing of the ROM,
>>> I'm back to the issue of finding appropriate hardware, i.e. something
>>> that will burn a 2708.
>> 
>>    Good luck .....
>> 
>>    Tech is more perishable than raw fish
>>    on a summer day.
>> 
>>    Now there MIGHT be some small companies
>>    that COULD burn you new ROMs - but the
>>    fee would be very high.
>
> In the UK £12...
> https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143674610911
>
>>     Now if you had
>>    some insider in a tech-heavy college
>>    computer lab, they probably HAVE all the
>>    needed stuff in a closet somewhere and
>>    would see it as an academic challenge ...
>>    as a fun/educational project.
>> 
>
> What you need is the code.
>
> I think this may be it
>
> https://github.com/bhall66/IMSAI-8080
>
> ASM, LST and HEX fileds for the boot and basic ROMS.

I'll file that away for whenever.  It might not be
exactly what I'm after; I need to reproduce the boot
ROM that's in my Disk Jockey 2D floppy controller.
(The first thing would be to try to find a listing
of the contents of that ROM.  I do know where most
of my IMSAI documentation is...)

-- 
/~\  Charlie Gibbs                  |  Growth for the sake of
\ /  <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid>      |  growth is the ideology
 X   I'm really at ac.dekanfrus     |  of the cancer cell.
/ \  if you read it the right way.  |    -- Edward Abbey

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#82202

On 2/23/26 06:33, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> On 23/02/2026 05:24, c186282 wrote:
>> On 2/22/26 20:07, Charlie Gibbs wrote:
>>> On 2026-02-22, The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 22/02/2026 19:26, Rich wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> https://phys.org/news/2026-02-glass-square-future-storage.html
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Scientists at Microsoft Research in the United States have
>>>>>> demonstrated a system called Silica for writing and reading
>>>>>> information in ordinary pieces of glass which can store two
>>>>>> million books' worth of data in a thin, palm-sized square.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> In a paper published today in Nature, the researchers say
>>>>>> their tests suggest the data will be readable for more than
>>>>>> 10,000 years.
>>>>>
>>>>> Try obtaining a new 8", 5.25" or 3.5" floppy disk mechanism today in
>>>>> 2026.  And, assuming you found one (new old stock maybe?) try 
>>>>> finding a
>>>>> reasonably recent computer to which you can attach it (floppy ports
>>>>> have disappeared too).
>>>>>
>>>> Plenty of 3.5" around. Not so may 5.25...
>>>>
>>>> Plenty second hand tho
>>>>
>>>> And it isn't hard if you *really* want to, to reproduce the mechanism
>>>
>>> I still have a machine with a 5 1/4-inch drive and a network interface.
>>> I also have an IMSAI with a pair of 8-inch drives, but unfortunately
>>> its boot ROM has rotted.  Assuming I could find a listing of the ROM,
>>> I'm back to the issue of finding appropriate hardware, i.e. something
>>> that will burn a 2708.
>>
>>    Good luck .....
>>
>>    Tech is more perishable than raw fish
>>    on a summer day.
>>
>>    Now there MIGHT be some small companies
>>    that COULD burn you new ROMs - but the
>>    fee would be very high.
> 
> In the UK £12...
> https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143674610911
> 
>>     Now if you had
>>    some insider in a tech-heavy college
>>    computer lab, they probably HAVE all the
>>    needed stuff in a closet somewhere and
>>    would see it as an academic challenge ...
>>    as a fun/educational project.
>>
> 
> What you need is the code.
> 
> I think this may be it
> 
> https://github.com/bhall66/IMSAI-8080
> 
> ASM, LST and HEX fileds for the boot and basic ROMS.

   And the junk needed to create those big wide
   connectors ?

   Easier, check the garage sales for an old XP
   era PC. Use XP, or an appropriately old Linux,
   to read yer floppies. Probably $5 for the crap
   PC and two bucks for the gas to drive there
   and back.

   Yea yea, I know the lure of complex custom
   projects ... but in this case go cheap and
   easy. Make images onto a stick and then
   it's done and you can put the old PC into
   the trash or whatever.

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#82189

On 2026-02-23, c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:

> On 2/22/26 20:07, Charlie Gibbs wrote:
>
>> On 2026-02-22, The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>> 
>>> On 22/02/2026 19:26, Rich wrote:
>>>
>>>> c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> https://phys.org/news/2026-02-glass-square-future-storage.html
>>>>>
>>>>> Scientists at Microsoft Research in the United States have
>>>>> demonstrated a system called Silica for writing and reading
>>>>> information in ordinary pieces of glass which can store two
>>>>> million books' worth of data in a thin, palm-sized square.
>>>>>
>>>>> In a paper published today in Nature, the researchers say
>>>>> their tests suggest the data will be readable for more than
>>>>> 10,000 years.
>>>>
>>>> Try obtaining a new 8", 5.25" or 3.5" floppy disk mechanism today in
>>>> 2026.  And, assuming you found one (new old stock maybe?) try finding a
>>>> reasonably recent computer to which you can attach it (floppy ports
>>>> have disappeared too).
>>>>
>>> Plenty of 3.5" around. Not so may 5.25...
>>>
>>> Plenty second hand tho
>>>
>>> And it isn't hard if you *really* want to, to reproduce the mechanism
>> 
>> I still have a machine with a 5 1/4-inch drive and a network interface.
>> I also have an IMSAI with a pair of 8-inch drives, but unfortunately
>> its boot ROM has rotted.  Assuming I could find a listing of the ROM,
>> I'm back to the issue of finding appropriate hardware, i.e. something
>> that will burn a 2708.
>
>    Good luck .....
>
>    Tech is more perishable than raw fish
>    on a summer day.
>
>    Now there MIGHT be some small companies
>    that COULD burn you new ROMs - but the
>    fee would be very high. Now if you had
>    some insider in a tech-heavy college
>    computer lab, they probably HAVE all the
>    needed stuff in a closet somewhere and
>    would see it as an academic challenge ...
>    as a fun/educational project.

I once found some notes about how to wire up a 2716
to look like a 2708; it might be easier to find a
2716 programmer (where "easier" is relative, of course).
Mind you, those notes are probably filed away somewhere
near a round tuit that I can't get either.

-- 
/~\  Charlie Gibbs                  |  Growth for the sake of
\ /  <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid>      |  growth is the ideology
 X   I'm really at ac.dekanfrus     |  of the cancer cell.
/ \  if you read it the right way.  |    -- Edward Abbey

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#82191

On Mon, 23 Feb 2026 16:33:44 GMT, Charlie Gibbs wrote:

> I once found some notes about how to wire up a 2716 to look like a 2708;
> it might be easier to find a 2716 programmer (where "easier" is
> relative, of course).
> Mind you, those notes are probably filed away somewhere near a round
> tuit that I can't get either.

At least you wouldn't need 12 and -5. I would imagine 2708 programmers 
would be very scarce. I don't think it would be too hard to fake. -5 
became A10 so you'd need to tie it low.

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#82185

On 23/02/2026 01:07, Charlie Gibbs wrote:
> On 2026-02-22, The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
> 
>> On 22/02/2026 19:26, Rich wrote:
>>
>>> c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> https://phys.org/news/2026-02-glass-square-future-storage.html
>>>>
>>>> Scientists at Microsoft Research in the United States have
>>>> demonstrated a system called Silica for writing and reading
>>>> information in ordinary pieces of glass which can store two
>>>> million books' worth of data in a thin, palm-sized square.
>>>>
>>>> In a paper published today in Nature, the researchers say
>>>> their tests suggest the data will be readable for more than
>>>> 10,000 years.
>>>
>>> Try obtaining a new 8", 5.25" or 3.5" floppy disk mechanism today in
>>> 2026.  And, assuming you found one (new old stock maybe?) try finding a
>>> reasonably recent computer to which you can attach it (floppy ports
>>> have disappeared too).
>>>
>> Plenty of 3.5" around. Not so may 5.25...
>>
>> Plenty second hand tho
>>
>> And it isn't hard if you *really* want to, to reproduce the mechanism
> 
> I still have a machine with a 5 1/4-inch drive and a network interface.
> I also have an IMSAI with a pair of 8-inch drives, but unfortunately
> its boot ROM has rotted.  Assuming I could find a listing of the ROM,
> I'm back to the issue of finding appropriate hardware, i.e. something
> that will burn a 2708.
> 

Well no, these days you take a Rasberry PI 2030 zero and a bodge board 
and build a 2708 emulator.

Or buy a prom burner for a 2708. They are available

-- 
I was brought up to believe that you should never give offence if you 
can avoid it; the new culture tells us you should always take offence if 
you can. There are now experts in the art of taking offence, indeed 
whole academic subjects, such as 'gender studies', devoted to it.

Sir Roger Scruton

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#82198

On Mon, 23 Feb 2026 01:07:37 GMT, Charlie Gibbs wrote:

> I also have an IMSAI with a pair of 8-inch drives, but unfortunately
> its boot ROM has rotted. Assuming I could find a listing of the ROM,
> I'm back to the issue of finding appropriate hardware, i.e.
> something that will burn a 2708.

Would a “software-defined ROM” be a suitable alternative?

<https://www.lemon64.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=87434>

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#82205

On 2026-02-23, Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> wrote:
>
> I still have a machine with a 5 1/4-inch drive and a network interface.
> I also have an IMSAI with a pair of 8-inch drives, but unfortunately
> its boot ROM has rotted.  Assuming I could find a listing of the ROM,
> I'm back to the issue of finding appropriate hardware, i.e. something
> that will burn a 2708.

ROM burners are still available--per a recent discussion in the
ET-3400 group (about the Heathkit ET-3400 trainer).

-- 
Robert Riches
spamtrap42@jacob21819.net
(Yes, that is one of my email addresses.)

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#82215

On 24 Feb 2026 03:14:04 GMT, Robert Riches wrote:

> On 2026-02-23, Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> wrote:
>>
>> I still have a machine with a 5 1/4-inch drive and a network interface.
>> I also have an IMSAI with a pair of 8-inch drives, but unfortunately
>> its boot ROM has rotted.  Assuming I could find a listing of the ROM,
>> I'm back to the issue of finding appropriate hardware, i.e. something
>> that will burn a 2708.
> 
> ROM burners are still available--per a recent discussion in the ET-3400
> group (about the Heathkit ET-3400 trainer).

https://shop.heathkit.com/products/introductory-microcomputer-
microcontroller-experimenter-kit-heathkit-educational-systems%C2%AE-
ex-1001

Heathkit has made it to the 21st century. I knew they had been reborn but 
the last time I looked I think there was only radio. Nice but a bit 
pricey.

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#82240

The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
> On 22/02/2026 19:26, Rich wrote:
>> c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:
>>> https://phys.org/news/2026-02-glass-square-future-storage.html
>>>
>>> Scientists at Microsoft Research in the United States have
>>> demonstrated a system called Silica for writing and reading
>>> information in ordinary pieces of glass which can store two
>>> million books' worth of data in a thin, palm-sized square.
>>>
>>> In a paper published today in Nature, the researchers say
>>> their tests suggest the data will be readable for more than
>>> 10,000 years.
>> 
>> Try obtaining a new 8", 5.25" or 3.5" floppy disk mechanism today in
>> 2026.  And, assuming you found one (new old stock maybe?) try finding a
>> reasonably recent computer to which you can attach it (floppy ports
>> have disappeared too).
>> 
> Plenty of 3.5" around. Not so may 5.25...
> 
> Plenty second hand tho
> 
> And it isn't hard if you *really* want to, to reproduce the mechanism

The disk spin and head position mechanism would not be too hard to 
reproduce from modern components.  Just need a linear stepper motor for 
the head positioning and an appropriate speed motor for the "spin".

The part that would be hard to reproduce oneself is the actual 
read/write head.  And lacking that, one could have a most excellent 
reproduction of the rest and it all be for naught.

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#82255

On 25/02/2026 05:33, Rich wrote:
> The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>> On 22/02/2026 19:26, Rich wrote:
>>> c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:
>>>> https://phys.org/news/2026-02-glass-square-future-storage.html
>>>>
>>>> Scientists at Microsoft Research in the United States have
>>>> demonstrated a system called Silica for writing and reading
>>>> information in ordinary pieces of glass which can store two
>>>> million books' worth of data in a thin, palm-sized square.
>>>>
>>>> In a paper published today in Nature, the researchers say
>>>> their tests suggest the data will be readable for more than
>>>> 10,000 years.
>>>
>>> Try obtaining a new 8", 5.25" or 3.5" floppy disk mechanism today in
>>> 2026.  And, assuming you found one (new old stock maybe?) try finding a
>>> reasonably recent computer to which you can attach it (floppy ports
>>> have disappeared too).
>>>
>> Plenty of 3.5" around. Not so may 5.25...
>>
>> Plenty second hand tho
>>
>> And it isn't hard if you *really* want to, to reproduce the mechanism
> 
> The disk spin and head position mechanism would not be too hard to
> reproduce from modern components.  Just need a linear stepper motor for
> the head positioning and an appropriate speed motor for the "spin".
> 
> The part that would be hard to reproduce oneself is the actual
> read/write head.  And lacking that, one could have a most excellent
> reproduction of the rest and it all be for naught.
> 
read write heads are just coils of wire+magnets IIRC ... miniature 
guitar pickups.

What is more challenging is dealing with disks that are weak, misaligned 
or copy protected.

When I said 'isn't hard' , I meant for a large organisation with a 
skilled team. One man alone - not so easy....

This is fun.#
https://amiga.robsmithdev.co.uk/history
One man's attempt to read copy protected Amiga floppy disks using a 
normal drive

I admire his tenacity in reverse engineering.

-- 
"It was a lot more fun being 20 in the 70's that it is being 70 in the 20's"
Joew Walsh

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#82261

The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
> On 25/02/2026 05:33, Rich wrote:
>> The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>>> On 22/02/2026 19:26, Rich wrote:
>>>> c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:
>>>>> https://phys.org/news/2026-02-glass-square-future-storage.html
>>>>>
>>>>> Scientists at Microsoft Research in the United States have
>>>>> demonstrated a system called Silica for writing and reading
>>>>> information in ordinary pieces of glass which can store two
>>>>> million books' worth of data in a thin, palm-sized square.
>>>>>
>>>>> In a paper published today in Nature, the researchers say
>>>>> their tests suggest the data will be readable for more than
>>>>> 10,000 years.
>>>>
>>>> Try obtaining a new 8", 5.25" or 3.5" floppy disk mechanism today in
>>>> 2026.  And, assuming you found one (new old stock maybe?) try finding a
>>>> reasonably recent computer to which you can attach it (floppy ports
>>>> have disappeared too).
>>>>
>>> Plenty of 3.5" around. Not so may 5.25...
>>>
>>> Plenty second hand tho
>>>
>>> And it isn't hard if you *really* want to, to reproduce the mechanism
>> 
>> The disk spin and head position mechanism would not be too hard to
>> reproduce from modern components.  Just need a linear stepper motor for
>> the head positioning and an appropriate speed motor for the "spin".
>> 
>> The part that would be hard to reproduce oneself is the actual
>> read/write head.  And lacking that, one could have a most excellent
>> reproduction of the rest and it all be for naught.
>> 
> read write heads are just coils of wire+magnets IIRC ... miniature 
> guitar pickups.
> 
> What is more challenging is dealing with disks that are weak, misaligned 
> or copy protected.
> 
> When I said 'isn't hard' , I meant for a large organisation with a 
> skilled team. One man alone - not so easy....

Fair enough.  I interpreted your statement to mean "one man".  You are 
correct that for "large org" it becomes much easier.

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#82267

On 2026-02-25, Rich <rich@example.invalid> wrote:

> The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>
>> When I said 'isn't hard' , I meant for a large organisation
>> with a skilled team. One man alone - not so easy....
>
> Fair enough.  I interpreted your statement to mean "one man".
> You are correct that for "large org" it becomes much easier.

At least until politics rears its ugly head.

-- 
/~\  Charlie Gibbs                  |  Growth for the sake of
\ /  <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid>      |  growth is the ideology
 X   I'm really at ac.dekanfrus     |  of the cancer cell.
/ \  if you read it the right way.  |    -- Edward Abbey

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#82283

On 25/02/2026 20:00, Charlie Gibbs wrote:
> On 2026-02-25, Rich <rich@example.invalid> wrote:
> 
>> The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>> When I said 'isn't hard' , I meant for a large organisation
>>> with a skilled team. One man alone - not so easy....
>>
>> Fair enough.  I interpreted your statement to mean "one man".
>> You are correct that for "large org" it becomes much easier.
> 
> At least until politics rears its ugly head.
> 
+1.


-- 
"Women actually are capable of being far more than the feminists will 
let them."

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#82176

On 2/22/26 14:26, Rich wrote:
> c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:
>> https://phys.org/news/2026-02-glass-square-future-storage.html
>>
>> Scientists at Microsoft Research in the United States have
>> demonstrated a system called Silica for writing and reading
>> information in ordinary pieces of glass which can store two
>> million books' worth of data in a thin, palm-sized square.
>>
>> In a paper published today in Nature, the researchers say
>> their tests suggest the data will be readable for more than
>> 10,000 years.
> 
> Try obtaining a new 8", 5.25" or 3.5" floppy disk mechanism today in
> 2026.  And, assuming you found one (new old stock maybe?) try finding a
> reasonably recent computer to which you can attach it (floppy ports
> have disappeared too).

   I've LOOKED for 5.25" solutions ... aren't any, even
   on Amazon. 8" ... forget it. DID find some USB 3.5"
   units - and bought one.

> And it has not been 10,000 years yet since all three of those sizes of
> "data storage media" were readily available.

   Tech marches on - very FAST these days.

   Now Sumerian clay tablets DO still work however :-)

> The problem will *all* these claims of "this chunk of glass/quartz/etc.
> will store your data for 10,000 years" has always been: "yes, but in 7
> years the market will have shifted and no one will be making
> reader/writer machines anymore".
> 
> Having a palm-sized square of glass holding two million books (odd
> measurement there, but...) is not worth much if you can no longer find
> any working machines that will actually read any of the two million
> books off the palm-sized square of glass.

   Typical prob. Same as all those zillion miles of
   magnetic data tapes. They DID look cool in the
   movies though ...

>> The new system, called Silica, uses extremely short flashes
>> of laser light to inscribe bits of information into a block
>> of ordinary glass.
> 
> Sounds similar to those laser etched artworks in glass where small
> bubbles are created in the right pattern to make a 3d image of
> something appear inside the glass/plastic block.

   Yes, it's a very similar tech. However it looks like
   the 'bubble' density is vastly higher and the 'glass'
   is somewhat superior.

   I don't see these things for wide usage. They may have
   some doomsday/archival value however. When the ufo
   people come around in 100,000 years to the crumbled
   remnants of human civ they will probably be able to
   decode the things.

   "The Global Database" is huge - but it also CHANGES
   very rapidly. At best you can grab some snapshots
   on such media, but the snapshots aren't the whole
   picture - miss the 'dynamic' factors.

   Hmmmm ... with modern fab methods, I wonder just
   HOW much data could be squeezed onto a 1" tape
   these days ?

   They DO still sell 1/2" tape units, and the caps
   ain't terrible. Alas they're SLOW.

   18000 GB per tape ... but the units cost nearly
   $5000 USD.

https://www.amazon.com/StoreEver-LTO-9-Ultrium-45000-External/dp/B0BCNTVXQC/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=1345804636450590&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.1Q8rtWpSrUtjRB97sQp97GlM75-lm0ro1D37luHYhSascsUyaC39admXB-LLemnGPRzqXzbbYYJFmXE8xX5uUmHkVIjAMRarRVbx7SUsR6A_cM1IkKxNQe4WLxe-VWFOWSGbl1GE6S-5ouXAMSn8qdTle0-bT0undDqhClwf4ERSEglJNERAWbQOqQK0kG4jj2ms9zrem4dKHpXB6u7avMY8ZhnStqyGEwq16lJUclo.xGBRVbzuA3GxiXLwsz801O1fCOZBYtoX98dQo7NJH3o&dib_tag=se&hvadid=84113053812423&hvbmt=bp&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=73845&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=p&hvtargid=kwd-84113842478788%3Aloc-190&hydadcr=19053_13353474&keywords=backup+tape+drive&mcid=80dcecab6f953c728a3c804ab45f2034&msclkid=2a214560c15a17bfbee52cfb1a75b253&qid=1771821878&sr=8-1

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#82192

On Sun, 22 Feb 2026 23:46:59 -0500, c186282 wrote:

>    Yes, it's a very similar tech. However it looks like the 'bubble'
>    density is vastly higher and the 'glass'
>    is somewhat superior.

Call it anything but bubble... Some of us remember bubble memory as the 
next big thing.

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#82204

On 2/23/26 13:50, rbowman wrote:
> On Sun, 22 Feb 2026 23:46:59 -0500, c186282 wrote:
> 
>>     Yes, it's a very similar tech. However it looks like the 'bubble'
>>     density is vastly higher and the 'glass'
>>     is somewhat superior.
> 
> Call it anything but bubble... Some of us remember bubble memory as the
> next big thing.

   Well ... At The Time ........

   Bubble-mem wasn't bad, it just wasn't fast/dense
   enough for the next-gen computers.

   Ferroelectric memory is good, and pretty fast, but
   the density is too low - it's confined to 'devices'
   mostly ... uControllers (used it there) and some
   phones and such. It won't replace DRAM. They still
   make traditional nvSRAM, but again they're pretty
   low-density.
   https://www.infineon.com/part/CY14B104NA-ZSP45XI

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