Michael,

I have used half inch tape drives for years and more recently 8mm and 4mm
helical scan drives. I have never heard of such devices supporting block
addressing (except for DECtape which is obsolete).

I believe that the Iomega Jazz drive and one other whose name escapes me
right now (something like "SparQ") support block addressing and function
almost like disks.

On Fri, 6 Aug 1999, Michael Richardson wrote:
>   Those tapes do not support writing blocks in the middle of the file, so you
> can't use them like you want. You need 1/2" 9-track drives... or, I'm told,
> DAT.

--------------------
Claude Marinier, Information Technology Group    claude.marinier@dreo.dnd.ca 
Defence Research Establishment Ottawa (DREO)    (613) 998-4901  FAX 998-2675
3701 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0Z4         http://www.dreo.dnd.ca