Punch Cards.

[Gerhard Magnus]

On Wed, 2008-04-02 at 09:20 -0600, Frank Cox wrote:
> On Wed, 02 Apr 2008 09:56:54 -0500
> "Mikkel L. Ellertson" <mikkel at infinity-ltd.com> wrote:
> 
> > I can remember writing a BASIC program that let you type in, and 
> > edit code, and would them write it to mag tape. 
> 
> Someone mentioned flow charts.  I'm pretty sure I still have my flow chart
> diagramming stencil in a drawer if I got ambitious enough to go looking for it.
> It's a plastic ruler with cut-outs for all of the different shapes (boxes,
> curves, etc.) that you put on a flow chart diagram which you can trace off of
> the ruler instead of having to draw them by hand.  I never was much of an
> artist....
> 
> -- 
> MELVILLE THEATRE ~ Melville Sask ~ http://www.melvilletheatre.com
> 
I worked in a "computer room" once, a long time ago -- do they still
have these? The hard drives were as big as washing machines and rattled
as if they were on spin cycle. The two IBM 370s displayed their Program
Status Words in flashing lights! In one back corner was what we called
"the data processing museum" that featured the company's older
equipment, including a card punch the size of a small car. This behemoth
appeared solid except for an input card hopper at the top and an output
tray at the bottom and was programmed by moving wires around on huge
boards that slid into one side.

When the company went out of business the IT guy offered to give me one
of the IBM 370s. But it was far too big to fit in my apartment.

Jerry