<> Though building a class 100 clean room is not that hard.  All that's

<   Hmm, this is interesting. Actually, we have such a facility at CWRU,
<since one group here is doing research in chip making, and that apparentl
<also requires Class 100. Do you need to wear a mask like the ones surgeon
<wear when working on an HDA in a clean room?

This is a rathole.  Nut what the heck it's fun.

Class 100 is far to dirty for serious chip making.  It's about right 
for sanitary (not sterile) pharmaceutical manufacture (non-paternals).  
Mask is not needed if the enclosed area is a glove box or the user 
works from outside the curtain through slits in it.

However, I never used class 100 to open rd53s, I just wipe the bench top
down.  I've even run one open to show some kids once, ran for 45 minutes
that way and was fine when I put the cover back on. It died on the way 
out the car when the guy carring the system tripped on the stair and the 
system bounced down the steps (it was pretty bent).  

<   I have a ZIP drive myself and so far I haven't had any problems, but 
<know at least one guy who has lost some valuable data on a ZIP disk when 

Lost it to what?  Head crash?  Magnetic field. Mishandeling?  Head crash
would be terminal for the drive. Magnetic fields are media damage only.
mishandling, I've seen what people do to floppies.

FYI DAT drives are even more touchy, interchangability is a big problem.

<   As for RA60s, RMs, RKs, and RLs, I have more respect for these, simpl
<because they are so much fun. But again, don't store your valuable data 

I've been using RL02s for over 15 years and the newest pack I have is 
about 10 and the reliability is hard to beat.  I've only lost one pack
and that was to external field munging the servo track.  Never seen a 
head crash.  Had a drive while I was in DEC that for two years it would 
scream like a banshee due to a bad spindle bearing, never had problems.
Used that one for backups only. It was far to hard on the ears.

Out in the field RA60s were very popular for transporting "prebuilt VMS
kits" to new system to save time loading them.

I know of RK05Fs and RK05s that are old enough to vote.  I know of a 
RS08 (circa 1968) that is operable, the computer needs work on the core.

The only drive that had a bum track record was the RC25.


Allison