Reel of half-inch wide nickel-coated bronze tape for use in the UNIVAC I. 204 mm. in diameter. "UNIVAC" stenciled on one side of the tape's metal housing. N.d. [ca. 1951].

The Origins of Cyberspace collection described as lots 1-255 will first be offered as a single lot, subject to a reserve price. If this price is not reached, the collection will be immediately offered as individual lots as described in the catalogue as lots 1-255.

Reel of half-inch wide nickel-coated bronze tape for use in the UNIVAC I. 204 mm. in diameter. "UNIVAC" stenciled on one side of the tape's metal housing. N.d. [ca. 1951].

UNIVAC I used metal magnetic tape as its standard bulk data storage medium. "These tapes were capable of recording data at 128 characters per inch and had an input/output speed of 128,000 characters per second" (Williams 1985, 365). The above reel in its housing weighs 5.5 pounds (2.49 kilograms).

Whether any original data remains on this tape would be very difficult to determine fifty years later, though we would probably be safe in assuming that any original data was lost due to chemical deterioration of the tape or other factors. Any existing examples of the hardware to run these tapes cannot be operated because of deterioration to wiring and other parts. The programs this data was written in most probably do not exist, and even if they did, it is unlikely that anyone still alive would remember how they operated. The problems of reading a fifty-year-old data tape give us some idea of the problems people may face fifty years from now in reading electronic data being currently generated. Of course, recognition of the problem of long-term electronic data storage may result in its eventual solution. OOC 1172.

For further information about The Origins of Cyberspace Library and to view the reference catalogue, please visit https://www.historyofscience.com.

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