punchcard svg file available

-----Original Message----- From: cctech [mailto:cctech-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Mike Stein Sent: 10 September 2015 19:58 To: General Discussion: On-Topic Posts <cctech at classiccmp.org> Subject: Re: punchcard svg file available For a while many utility bills etc. were sent out with prepunched cards containing the customer and billing information, to be mailed back with

payment for proper allocation. m ----- Original Message ----- From: "Fred Cisin" <cisin at xenosoft.com> To: "General Discussion: On-Topic Posts" <cctech at classiccmp.org> Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2015 2:47 PM Subject: Re: punchcard svg file available >>>> If you find a source of paper stock that >>>> works, please let everyone >>>> know about it. The real paper is gone, and >>>> will likely never be made >>>> again. It is a specialized stock that is >>>> extremely difficult to make. >>> What is different about it? Thickness? >>> Weight/square metre? Density? >>> Impregnated with something? > > On Thu, 10 Sep 2015, simon wrote: >> Its hard to explain. it feels tough and >> bendable, but it is thinner as you would expect >> from the toughness. > > Also, had to have the right friction to slide > through, but catch on the rollers. CDC's > optical card readers came later, and made > dramatic improvements in DP. > > In those days, the cardstock was extremely > available, in large sheets and in precut blanks, > in a variety of colors. Print-shops abounded > who would do custom cards, if your business > thought that it needed them. > > > And yet, some card readers were amazingly > tolerant! > > For example, half a century ago, CBS had a bunch > of projects, such as the National Driver's Test > (1966). IBM provided the hardware and software. > They decided to give out Port-A-Punch cards, > which were 80 column cards with every other > column of holes pre-perforated, so that anybody > could take a special stylus or a random pencil > and create their own hanging chips/"Chads". > But, how to recollect them? They actually had > people stick a stamp on them and MAIL them! > ("Business Reply Mail" would have shifted the > franking burden, otherwise it would have made > MUCH more sense) They then successfully ran them > through the card reader of a 360! Keep in mind > that it was an IBM PR stunt, so they had a CE > standing next to the reader, clearing jams in > real-time. I wonder if IBM cheated and modified > the input maw? > > So, the specific card-stock is critical, but it > worked with a postage stamp stuck to it? > > Although the hardware reliability was a welcome > surprise (I wonder how my life would have gone > if it hadn't), the software wasn't. The live > statistics weren't adding up close enough to > 100%! On camera, Walter Cronkite was stalling, > and right behind him, my father was frantically > manually adding the numbers. Starting a week > later, there were a copy of McCracken FORTRAN > and Decima Anderson's book on my parent's coffee > table. > Instead of continuing to use 084 sorters, we > learned a little FORTRAN. > > -- > Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin at xenosoft.com