This will be about “certification” of magnetic tape and a little bit about “recertification”. The following is a quote from a well known manufacturer of tape.
“Recertified?” “It can’t be – the equipment to certify tape performance is available only to licensed manufacturers. No one else has it – so used tape can’t be ‘recertified’.”
I could question a couple of things in this quote, but for purposes of this article just keep “can’t be certified” in mind. Incidentally, in the one page of this quote, they mention used tape, recycled, reconditioned, blank and recertified.
“Hey.”
Yes, oh anxious one, what is it?
“Before you start, one hundred percent of the tapes I buy are one hundred percent certified!”
Correct, oh knowledgeable one–and?
“So what are you trying to tell me?”
Relax for a second and I’ll tell you.
It would be naive to think that one hundred percent of the hundreds of thousands of tapes manufactured each year are individually certified on certification equipment. This would be far too time consuming and the cost would be prohibitive. So what do they do?
Magnetic tapes are “batch: certified. This means that “X” number of tapes from a batch are tested on a certifier. In other words, they are statistically sampled. Based on the results of this sampling and years and years of experience, the whole batch is labeled certified as meeting or exceeding a predetermined set of standards. Regardless, the vast majority of tapes manufactured never see a certifier; yet, they are considered certified.
“Hey!”
Oh, it’s you again. What do you want this time?
“You are talking in circles.” “First you acknowledge that my tapes are one hundred percent certified, then you say that the vast majority of my tapes never see a certifier but they are certified.” “I’m a trifle confused.”
I guess you could say that. What I’m trying to tell you is that the word “certified” itself is confusing, For example, in the quote I cited at the beginning said, “…used” tapes can’t be recertified”.
“So?”
So how many times have you been told not to buy or sell your “used” tapes because they can not be certified? Doesn’t it stand to reason that a used tape can be labeled recertified if, in fact, it has been tested to meet or exceed new tape standards? In fact, a used tape could be labeled certified if it passed a battery of tests. That would be in line with accepted practices.
Bear in mind that these used tapes or whatever name you want to call them, were advertised, when new, as having been tested for 1,200,000 passes and/or 15,275 loads and unloads. I have seen claims that “new” tapes should be retired after 260 uses and/or treated as supplies and budgeted for replacement each year. That’s a very, very far cry from 1,200,000 full passes or 15,275 loads and unloads. Tape manufacturers can not even bring themselves to admit that merely cleaning tapes would extend the useful life of both tape and magnetic heads.
“Hold on!”
OK, what is it this time?
“Since I don’t currently sell my tapes, just how did my new tapes get involved with used tapes?”
Simple, I was talking about the use of certified versus recertified and you started asking questions. Do you want to talk about your “new” tapes?
“OK, what about them?”
When they get to be old tapes, will you sell them? I can give you the names of people who will buy them.
“Oh, no, I can’t sell them.”
Why not?
“I was told it is too dangerous.”
Who told you that?
“The manufacturer’s salesperson.”
Look, can we hold on to this thought for a while? It’s just too much to cover in one session. When will be a good time to go into this?
“How about next week?”
Try to remember that we will be discussing that it is dangerous for you to sell your new tapes, when they get old. See you in a week or two.
Don Blackburn, Sales Director
Bow Industries, Inc.
(508) 877-2887
PS If you wants to join in on this conversation, let me know and I’ll welcome you.