"Shoe-shining" your data

[Thad P Floryan]

Was reading something (which I found to be funny) in the August issue of the
magazine "DEC Professional", and want to share it for your amusement.

In a discussion of streaming tape backup units, an operational and/or config
problem which causes the tape to stop, rewind/backup, then restart because the
drive wasn't being "fed" data continuously was referred to as:

	 "... shoe-shining your data ..."

WOW!  Would YOU want YOUR data "shoe-shined"?  Does this mean software vendors
should toss in a bottle of Shinola along with their manual and warranty card?
:-)  :-)  :-)

Seriously, other than having the oxide rubbed-off down to clear mylar (which I
*HAVE* seen happen with large auto-loading reel-reel tape drives) when a tape
section is continually spaced and backspaced over the heads, has anyone:

1) heard of the phrase "shoe-shined" in this context, or

2) heard of such a problem with streaming tape units?

Another euphemism I've heard recently is "Big Red."  We know that "Big Blue"
refers to IBM, but to WHOM does "Big Red" refer?  My guess is Unisys, but ...

Are "Marketing Types" coining these phrases, or what?  I recall also the term
"waterfall" used to describe the line of H-P plotters in which the paper moves
in one axis and the pen(s) in another (contrast with drum and flatbed plotters).

Thad Floryan [ thad at cup.portal.com (OR) ..!sun!portal!cup.portal.com!thad ]