Radio XTZ Pictures
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Format Sentry "Fred" backup automation
The computer that runs "Fred" is just visible in the upper left corner of the screen in that last picture; it's running DOS 6.22 on a Pentium 1. The Format Sentry software and all schedule lists are on a 2 MB hard drive, with room to spare! I'd run it on a 386 machine if I still had one! The P1 is too fast; the software was designed to run on the original AT/XT machines. I've got a software looper (Slowdown) that keeps the Format Sentry software happy for now, though.
Sentry Systems recommended against hard drives back in the '80s - hard drives weren't as reliable then, and Ethernet for small networks wasn't an inexpensive option, so it was all done with 5.25" floppies! The program was written to be entirely memory-resident; the only time the disk is accessed is when loading or saving the event lists.
Some day, I'll get around to implementing the Ethernet connection to Fred; that won't be until after I get the Carousel interface built and working for at least two Carousels, though...
Meanwhile, in the “other room”....
Stay Tuned!
Radio Tom
