Phister's
<https://books.google.com/books/about/Data_processing_technology_and_economi
cs.html?id=MwMpAQAAMAAJ> numbers in Table II 1.27a Supplies
Line
Item
Figure
Units
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
20
Total Tapes Shipped
M
0.085
0.227
0.544
0.825
1.37
2.25
2.97
3.2
4
5
5.7
4.7
4.5
6.6
9.4
9.9
9.7
10.1
10.7
11.2
tom
-----Original Message-----
From: Shoppa, Tim [mailto:tshoppa at
wmata.com]
Sent: Monday, August 06, 2018 11:34 AM
To: 'cctalk at classiccmp.org'
Subject: Re: Computer tape quantities in the 70's or 80's?
Chuck writes:
I'd probably start with the US Commerce
Department. In their
industrial report summaries, the product code is
"36950 11"
e.g.: <https://tinyurl.com/y8ks3mdd>
https://tinyurl.com/y8ks3mdd for
1987-88
Wow, Chuck, that is fascinating info that I had no idea was so easily
accessed. Thank you! It looks like the tape production in the 80's was 30M
to 40M reels per year so my guess at 100M was high but not too far off.
I super like some of the product codes just on those pages. E.g. 35711 22 is
Analog Computers, and 35751 75 is Teleprinters under 20 characters per
second (e.g. Model 33's which saw a steep decline through the 1980's. I'm
guessing they would've peaked in the early 70's.).
Tim N3QE