So You Think Tape is Dead

Abstract

The times that we live in offers the most advanced pace of technology development ever known to the world, and it is getting faster. A large part of commercial computer technology development is based on increased size and decreased cost of memory devices, from which the instrumentation community can derive great benefit through the development of solid state systems. The procurement cost of new solid state systems utilizing increased memory capability makes the temptation to move to this technology unavoidable. There are, however, some issues that need to be discussed which go beyond procurement costs and involve operational and life cycle considerations.