> On Jun 25, 2020, at 5:14 PM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> On 6/25/20 1:55 PM, Tom Gardner via cctalk wrote:
>> I'm trying to figure out what were the earliest Type numbers for 3M ½-inch
>> reel-to-reel computer tape
>>
>> As best I can find, 3M began marketing a Type 777 computer tape about 1967.
>> The Type 700 appears to be somewhat later. But 3M sold computer tape
>> directly to at least government customers (e.g. NSA, Social Security) in the
>> 1950s. The also notably OEMed tape to IBM who rebranded it under an IBM
>> label until the late 1960s at which point with the help of Sony IBM began
>> manufacturing its own computer tape.
>>
>> Anyone have any idea of the Type number for 3M computer tapes earlier than
>> Type 777?
>>
>> There might be a place for some of these older Types at the CHM if anyone
>> knows of any still in existence.
>>
>> Tom
>>
>> PS: There is a lot of information on 3M audio tape Type numbers as at
>> http://www.aes.org/aeshc/docs/3mtape/aorprod-cust.pdf but computer tape
>> seems to be an orphan
> I probably do--but I'm going to have to look through my logs. Old 3M
> tape is terrible for binder that sticks to everything. Before
> processing the stuff, I have to lubricate it.
Except for DECtape, of course. That's 3M 340 or 341, the spec (from Nov 1966)
is here: http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/dectape/3M_DECtape_Spec_Nov66.pdf
paul
