7 Mar
2002
7 Mar
'02
8:31 a.m.
On Thu, 7 Mar 2002, Ethan Dicks wrote:
P.S. - it was reminscent of the problems of reading
the 1960 census. I'd
heard that the only extant copy of the data was on microfilmed round-holed
punch cards. Round-holed because that's the equipment (Univac?) they
used for that census. Microfilmed because the climate controlled warehouse
Round-holed because IBM got a patent on the shape of the hole in punch
cards! Until the patent was overturned, other companies tried various
ridiculous work arounds, such as round holes.
IBM also got a patent on using a metal brush and brass roller for card
reading. That really bollixed up the industry! Some tried 960 push
buttons in a matrix, etc. Then somebody finally succeeded in using light
and photocell. Suddenly the IBM patent that blocked everybody else's card
readers was responsible for the competition coming out with a card reader
that was significantly faster than IBM's!
Sorry, but I don't have references and details on these events. My father
had told me about them before he died.
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin(a)xenosoft.com