[plug] Exabyte vs DLT

[Colin Rothnie]

I use several Exabyte 8505s, but drool over the 80Gb DLT tape on the NT
server up the hall.  Apparently Digital developed the DLT technology many
years ago, but it was only made available to Digital customers.  

A supplier told me that "real men use DLT" when I asked him about tape
technology over a year ago (sorry about the gender-specific nature of his
comment, but I thought it was worth relaying his comments in any case).

<CAUTION: WAR STORY>
When it comes to bangs-for-buck you will have problems beating the Exabyte
8505 I bought at Ross' Auction for $27 (I was prepared to go to $500).  The
unit came with a genuine Exabyte tape cartridge inside worth $30.
</WAR STORY>

I must say I like Exabyte because of its reliability.  I have tapes written
in 1992 on an old Sparc Station and they still read fine.

Cheers
Colin Rothnie