[Info-vax] VMS 5.0

[Johnny Billquist]

On 2011-11-08 15.50, Bob Koehler wrote:
> In article<e26cf339-adbf-48b1-aaf0-8bf7e6bceac7 at i10g2000vbk.googlegroups.com>, abrsvc<dansabrservices at yahoo.com>  writes:
>>
>> The more likely contents are the standanlone backup kit.  IIRC, the
>> actual VMS software was distributed on magtape,TK50 and removeable
>> disk only.
>
>     Some VMS update kits were distributed on TU58.
>
>     One of the 3.x update kits was on several TU58, at the time the only
>     option for 11/750 owners.  (I think it was on 8" floppies for
>     11/780).  At the time only full installs shipped on 9-track.
>
>     It took so long to ingest from TU58 and DEC got so many complaints
>     that DEC decided, and loudly declared at the next DECUS symposium,
>     that in the future _all_ kits would be available on 9-track.
>
>     Then CD became the standard media for Alpha, and available for VAX,
>     so we immediately ordered a Qbus CD reader for our MV II.

I can't even imagine how many TU58 it would take for a full VMS 
distribution. About 100 tapes maybe? Considering that the standalone 
backup alone is 5 RX01 floppies, and the capacity of the TU58 is 
similar, the number of disks/tapes even for some update kit quickly 
becomes ridiculous as far as the number of media is concerned.

	Johnny