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From: eugene@pioneer.arpa (Eugene Miya N.)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: optical disks
Message-ID: <2584@ames.arpa>
Date: Tue, 25-Aug-87 12:13:39 EDT
Article-I.D.: ames.2584
Posted: Tue Aug 25 12:13:39 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 26-Aug-87 06:32:38 EDT
References: <cV=3A8y00UoB0qA0AT@andrew.cmu.edu> <414@astroatc.UUCP> <12718@amdahl.amdahl.com> <420@astroatc.UUCP>
Sender: usenet@ames.arpa
Reply-To: eugene@pioneer.UUCP (Eugene Miya N.)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
Lines: 21

In article <420@astroatc.UUCP> johnw@astroatc.UUCP (John F. Wardale) writes:
>>> RAM vs disk stuff
> . . . (stuff removed)
>As I look into my crystal ball, I see RAM and optical (WO) disks
>replacing magnetic memory within 5 years...(say, ~~~  30% of total, 
>and 90% of new systems/designs)

I won't hold my breath.  I heard that 10 years ago (back then you added
bubble memory as well).  We started waiting 4 years ago for optical disks
"in 2 years."  Sure there are some small WORM (Write Once Read Many) systems
and some custom systems.  But largely, WORM systems will get abused
and I don't see the I/O rates vastly improving for ODs.  I should have
put $100 down like Alan Karp did a few years ago....

From the Rock of Ages Home for Retired Hackers:

--eugene miya
  NASA Ames Research Center
  eugene@ames-aurora.ARPA
  "You trust the `reply' command with all those different mailers out there?"
  {hplabs,hao,ihnp4,decwrl,allegra,tektronix,menlo70}!ames!aurora!eugene