• Joe Cool
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    9 months ago

    Considering we now have a “CD” that stores 125TB of data ( https://www.livescience.com/technology/electronics/new-petabit-scale-optical-disc-can-store-as-much-information-as-15000-dvds ).

    Not all older tech are necessarily worse. An LTO-9 tape can also store 18TB of data per tape. It’s still sold today and great for archival.

    Other cheaper, less error prone tech usually gets mass market penetration. But I am happy that massive storage niche tech is still there.

      • Joe Cool
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        9 months ago

        True. 12h to write the whole 18TB makes it a bit impractical for stuff other than backups. ;)

        • OpenStars@startrek.website
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          9 months ago

          Well, I imagine the write-once, re-write-never part also may limit its applicability too:-). Then again, for a purpose where the data doesn’t need to be constantly changing, like storing a TV show or movie, possibly even music if someone wants to listen to albums rather than randomized songs, it could offer a lot of practical utility to many people.

          • Joe Cool
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            9 months ago

            Oh you can totally erase and reuse the tapes. Depending on the tape software you can also rewrite parts or replace older files with incremental updates. It just really takes a while of rewinding. And the noise it makes is kinda retro…

                • OpenStars@startrek.website
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                  9 months ago

                  As a wise person said once, “Not all older tech are necessarily worse.”:-)

                  It’s just that capitalism wants to sell you what they want you to buy, rather than what you truly want:-(. I mean, capitalism made this too, but I am saying that I think that is why people are constantly pushing for the newest and latest thing: b/c if you already have old thing, then they want you to buy new thing too, even if old thing was perfectly fine for what purpose you were using it for. :-|