Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!ames!pasteur!helios.ee.lbl.gov!nosc!ucsd!ucsdhub!esosun!seismo!uunet!hsi!tankus
From: tankus@hsi.UUCP (Ed Tankus)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: computer follies
Summary: Here's my story
Keywords: mag tape problems
Message-ID: <145@hsi86.hsi.UUCP>
Date: 29 Aug 88 16:23:51 GMT
References: <5856@ihlpf.ATT.COM> <614@sbsvax.UUCP>
Organization: Health Systems Intl., New Haven, CT
Lines: 51

In article <614@sbsvax.UUCP>, greim@sbsvax.UUCP (Michael Greim) writes:
> In article <5856@ihlpf.ATT.COM>, trdill@ihlpf.ATT.COM (Diller) writes:
> > 
> > If you have any funny stories like this let me know, I'd be
> > interested in them.
> 

Here's another ...

I sent a mag tape to client.  The tape, as usual, sat around for some time
until it was "discovered".  Well, low and behold, the gentleman called up 
and was very irate that we should send him a tape wound backwards. 

Hmmm.  Backwards?  The gentleman, in very broken English, claimed that
someone had wound the tape backwards and he had to re-spool the tape
in order to read it.  Further, he claimed that once this had been done, he
could find no files, data, etc. on the tape.  He demanded an immediate 
replacement.

This whole thing was puzzling to me and the client support person handling
the call.  We shrugged our shoulders and shipped another tape.  He called
back within a day or two even MORE irate.  Someone spooled the tape backwards
again!

Now, I have made a LOT of tapes, but I NEVER spooled one backwards, not even
for fun!  Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind (it does happen about once a
year).  I made a THIRD tape, delivered it to our client support rep, and had
her ship it overnight.  The gentleman called the next day.  He was relieved
that he could FINALLY read his tape and that someone competent had made his
tape.  

To recap, I sent three tapes to this gentleman.  All three had the very same
software and were verified, by me, as having no errors and completely readable.
What happened?

The first two tapes sent were on Scotch Blackwatch brand.  These tapes have
a backing on them so one side appears shiney and the other dull.  Because
he had never seen a tape like this, he thought it had been spooled backwards!
The third tape I sent was a Scotch 777 with NO backing.  This is the one
he thought was made by someone "competent".

Sigh ...


Cheers! 

-- Ed.

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