| Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407865] |
Sun, 02 May 2021 13:51  |
Charlie Gibbs
Messages: 5313
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Is anyone running unit record equipment who wants more blank cards?
While cleaning things out I came across an unopened case of good old
form 5081 (5 boxes at 2000 cards per box). I have a couple more boxes
of blank cards as well. Anyone in the Vancouver, B.C. area who is
interested (or who is elsewhere and are willing to pay shipping)
is welcome to them.
I also have lots reels of 1/2-inch tape. Extra points if you have
something that can read them, because there are some files I'd love
to recover.
--
/~\ Charlie Gibbs | They don't understand Microsoft
\ / <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> | has stolen their car and parked
X I'm really at ac.dekanfrus | a taxi in their driveway.
/ \ if you read it the right way. | -- Mayayana
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407868 is a reply to message #407865] |
Sun, 02 May 2021 16:14  |
Ahem A Rivet's Shot
Messages: 4843
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
On 2 May 2021 17:51:59 GMT
Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> wrote:
> Is anyone running unit record equipment who wants more blank cards?
> While cleaning things out I came across an unopened case of good old
> form 5081 (5 boxes at 2000 cards per box). I have a couple more boxes
> of blank cards as well. Anyone in the Vancouver, B.C. area who is
> interested (or who is elsewhere and are willing to pay shipping)
> is welcome to them.
Have you seen what they go for on eBay ? A typical example:
https://www.ebay.ie/itm/224223304294
--
Steve O'Hara-Smith | Directable Mirror Arrays
C:\>WIN | A better way to focus the sun
The computer obeys and wins. | licences available see
You lose and Bill collects. | http://www.sohara.org/
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407874 is a reply to message #407865] |
Sun, 02 May 2021 18:40 |
Rich Alderson
Messages: 489
Registered: August 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> writes:
> Is anyone running unit record equipment who wants more blank cards?
> While cleaning things out I came across an unopened case of good old
> form 5081 (5 boxes at 2000 cards per box). I have a couple more boxes
> of blank cards as well. Anyone in the Vancouver, B.C. area who is
> interested (or who is elsewhere and are willing to pay shipping)
> is welcome to them.
> I also have lots reels of 1/2-inch tape. Extra points if you have
> something that can read them, because there are some files I'd love
> to recover.
Before 6 March 2020 I would have arranged for all of that to come to the museum
in Seattle, but with the final closure on 1 July 2020 there is no one there to
take you up on it.
--
Rich Alderson news@alderson.users.panix.com
Audendum est, et veritas investiganda; quam etiamsi non assequamur,
omnino tamen proprius, quam nunc sumus, ad eam perveniemus.
--Galen
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407875 is a reply to message #407868] |
Sun, 02 May 2021 19:41 |
Peter Flass
Messages: 8375
Registered: December 2011
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> wrote:
> On 2 May 2021 17:51:59 GMT
> Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> wrote:
>
>> Is anyone running unit record equipment who wants more blank cards?
>> While cleaning things out I came across an unopened case of good old
>> form 5081 (5 boxes at 2000 cards per box). I have a couple more boxes
>> of blank cards as well. Anyone in the Vancouver, B.C. area who is
>> interested (or who is elsewhere and are willing to pay shipping)
>> is welcome to them.
>
> Have you seen what they go for on eBay ? A typical example:
>
> https://www.ebay.ie/itm/224223304294
>
That’s insane. I think I have a small deck of 110 or so cards somewhere, at
that price that’s $900!
--
Pete
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407876 is a reply to message #407874] |
Sun, 02 May 2021 19:41 |
Peter Flass
Messages: 8375
Registered: December 2011
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Rich Alderson <news@alderson.users.panix.com> wrote:
> Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> writes:
>
>> Is anyone running unit record equipment who wants more blank cards?
>> While cleaning things out I came across an unopened case of good old
>> form 5081 (5 boxes at 2000 cards per box). I have a couple more boxes
>> of blank cards as well. Anyone in the Vancouver, B.C. area who is
>> interested (or who is elsewhere and are willing to pay shipping)
>> is welcome to them.
>
>> I also have lots reels of 1/2-inch tape. Extra points if you have
>> something that can read them, because there are some files I'd love
>> to recover.
>
> Before 6 March 2020 I would have arranged for all of that to come to the museum
> in Seattle, but with the final closure on 1 July 2020 there is no one there to
> take you up on it.
>
BitsVers has had good luck reading old tapes, but I would imagine they’d
only be interested if it was something really worthwhile, and not just some
random programs or data files.
--
Pete
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407880 is a reply to message #407875] |
Sun, 02 May 2021 23:49 |
Charlie Gibbs
Messages: 5313
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
On 2021-05-02, Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> wrote:
>
>> On 2 May 2021 17:51:59 GMT
>> Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>> Is anyone running unit record equipment who wants more blank cards?
>>> While cleaning things out I came across an unopened case of good old
>>> form 5081 (5 boxes at 2000 cards per box). I have a couple more boxes
>>> of blank cards as well. Anyone in the Vancouver, B.C. area who is
>>> interested (or who is elsewhere and are willing to pay shipping)
>>> is welcome to them.
>>
>> Have you seen what they go for on eBay ? A typical example:
>>
>> https://www.ebay.ie/itm/224223304294
>
> That’s insane. I think I have a small deck of 110 or so cards somewhere,
> at that price that’s $900!
And I could say that they're still in the original packaging. :-)
--
/~\ Charlie Gibbs | They don't understand Microsoft
\ / <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> | has stolen their car and parked
X I'm really at ac.dekanfrus | a taxi in their driveway.
/ \ if you read it the right way. | -- Mayayana
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407881 is a reply to message #407874] |
Sun, 02 May 2021 23:49 |
Charlie Gibbs
Messages: 5313
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
On 2021-05-02, Rich Alderson <news@alderson.users.panix.com> wrote:
> Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> writes:
>
>> Is anyone running unit record equipment who wants more blank cards?
>> While cleaning things out I came across an unopened case of good old
>> form 5081 (5 boxes at 2000 cards per box). I have a couple more boxes
>> of blank cards as well. Anyone in the Vancouver, B.C. area who is
>> interested (or who is elsewhere and are willing to pay shipping)
>> is welcome to them.
>
>> I also have lots reels of 1/2-inch tape. Extra points if you have
>> something that can read them, because there are some files I'd love
>> to recover.
>
> Before 6 March 2020 I would have arranged for all of that to come to the
> museum in Seattle, but with the final closure on 1 July 2020 there is no
> one there to take you up on it.
Damn, I snoozed again.
--
/~\ Charlie Gibbs | They don't understand Microsoft
\ / <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> | has stolen their car and parked
X I'm really at ac.dekanfrus | a taxi in their driveway.
/ \ if you read it the right way. | -- Mayayana
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407885 is a reply to message #407880] |
Mon, 03 May 2021 01:34 |
Ahem A Rivet's Shot
Messages: 4843
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
On 3 May 2021 03:49:44 GMT
Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> wrote:
> On 2021-05-02, Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Have you seen what they go for on eBay ? A typical example:
>>>
>>> https://www.ebay.ie/itm/224223304294
>>
>> That’s insane. I think I have a small deck of 110 or so cards somewhere,
>> at that price that’s $900!
Isn't it just - I found out when I thought I might pick up a few to
show folks, I changed my mind.
> And I could say that they're still in the original packaging. :-)
I haven't investigated but it wouldn't surprise me if they're like
stamps, worth more when used with some uses fetching a premium.
--
Steve O'Hara-Smith | Directable Mirror Arrays
C:\>WIN | A better way to focus the sun
The computer obeys and wins. | licences available see
You lose and Bill collects. | http://www.sohara.org/
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407887 is a reply to message #407868] |
Mon, 03 May 2021 04:28 |
bert
Messages: 56
Registered: August 2012
Karma: 0
|
Member |
|
|
On Sunday, 2 May 2021 at 21:30:10 UTC+1, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
> On 2 May 2021 17:51:59 GMT
> Charlie Gibbs <cgi...@kltpzyxm.invalid> wrote:
>
>> Is anyone running unit record equipment who wants more blank cards?
>> While cleaning things out I came across an unopened case of good old
>> form 5081 (5 boxes at 2000 cards per box). I have a couple more boxes
>> of blank cards as well. Anyone in the Vancouver, B.C. area who is
>> interested (or who is elsewhere and are willing to pay shipping)
>> is welcome to them.
> Have you seen what they go for on eBay ? A typical example:
>
> https://www.ebay.ie/itm/224223304294
>
Sorry, that asking price - like many more on eBay - is meaningless.
Because listings are free, eBay is flooded with ill-informed sellers
who are convinced that their item is of great value. An item's value
is better found among "Sold items" than among "Items for sale".
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407895 is a reply to message #407875] |
Mon, 03 May 2021 10:07 |
scott
Messages: 4237
Registered: February 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> writes:
> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> wrote:
>> On 2 May 2021 17:51:59 GMT
>> Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>> Is anyone running unit record equipment who wants more blank cards?
>>> While cleaning things out I came across an unopened case of good old
>>> form 5081 (5 boxes at 2000 cards per box). I have a couple more boxes
>>> of blank cards as well. Anyone in the Vancouver, B.C. area who is
>>> interested (or who is elsewhere and are willing to pay shipping)
>>> is welcome to them.
>>
>> Have you seen what they go for on eBay ? A typical example:
>>
>> https://www.ebay.ie/itm/224223304294
>>
>
> That’s insane. I think I have a small deck of 110 or so cards somewhere, at
> that price that’s $900!
Although the asking price isn't necessarily the price that
someone is willing to pay....
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407896 is a reply to message #407865] |
Mon, 03 May 2021 10:11 |
Dan Espen
Messages: 3867
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> writes:
> On 2 May 2021 17:51:59 GMT, Charlie Gibbs wrote:
> Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the scans,
> to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to be able
> to read the cards just by looking at them.
I may not know asterisk, period, etc. from memory but numbers and
letters are no problem.
--
Dan Espen
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407897 is a reply to message #407865] |
Mon, 03 May 2021 10:50 |
|
|
Originally posted by: Grant Taylor
On 5/2/21 11:51 AM, Charlie Gibbs wrote:
> Is anyone running unit record equipment who wants more blank cards?
I'm not. But if you divide things up, I'd be interested in a small
number (10-100) of them. I think they make great bookmarks.
> While cleaning things out I came across an unopened case of good
> old form 5081 (5 boxes at 2000 cards per box). I have a couple more
> boxes of blank cards as well. Anyone in the Vancouver, B.C. area who
> is interested (or who is elsewhere and are willing to pay shipping)
> is welcome to them.
That's just a few.
> I also have lots reels of 1/2-inch tape. Extra points if you have
> something that can read them, because there are some files I'd love
> to recover.
I need 1/2-inch tape like I need hanging chads.
But I /might/, /want/ some 1/2-inch tape to add to my types of media
collection.
Please email me directly if you are willing to divvy things up if you
don't have anything better to do with them.
--
Grant. . . .
unix || die
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407900 is a reply to message #407865] |
Mon, 03 May 2021 12:19 |
Ahem A Rivet's Shot
Messages: 4843
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
On Mon, 03 May 2021 08:29:22 -0400
Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> wrote:
> Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the scans,
> to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to be able
> to read the cards just by looking at them.
I used to be able to do that, more than forty years ago.
--
Steve O'Hara-Smith | Directable Mirror Arrays
C:\>WIN | A better way to focus the sun
The computer obeys and wins. | licences available see
You lose and Bill collects. | http://www.sohara.org/
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407903 is a reply to message #407900] |
Mon, 03 May 2021 14:26 |
Dan Espen
Messages: 3867
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> writes:
> On Mon, 03 May 2021 08:29:22 -0400
> Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> wrote:
>
>> Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the scans,
>> to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to be able
>> to read the cards just by looking at them.
>
> I used to be able to do that, more than forty years ago.
Any main-framer has a green card (it may not actually be green)
that shows the punch codes.
--
Dan Espen
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407904 is a reply to message #407903] |
Mon, 03 May 2021 14:42 |
Ahem A Rivet's Shot
Messages: 4843
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
On Mon, 03 May 2021 14:26:19 -0400
Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> wrote:
> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> writes:
>
>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 08:29:22 -0400
>> Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the
>>> scans, to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to
>>> be able to read the cards just by looking at them.
>>
>> I used to be able to do that, more than forty years ago.
>
> Any main-framer has a green card (it may not actually be green)
> that shows the punch codes.
Oh sure anyone can look it up, I meant from memory as a result of
using the hand punch rather than wait for an 029.
--
Steve O'Hara-Smith | Directable Mirror Arrays
C:\>WIN | A better way to focus the sun
The computer obeys and wins. | licences available see
You lose and Bill collects. | http://www.sohara.org/
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407905 is a reply to message #407904] |
Mon, 03 May 2021 15:19 |
Anne & Lynn Wheel
Messages: 3156
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> writes:
> Oh sure anyone can look it up, I meant from memory as a result of
> using the hand punch rather than wait for an 029.
long ago and far away I had learned to read punch holes ... all ebcdic
combinations as well as alpha/numeric equivalence, but now lost in mists
of time. fan assembly output TXT deck looking for card with program
displacement and then (026) duplicate card ... multi-punching patch into
the duped card.
after two semester hr intro to fortran/computers ... got student job to
reimplement 1401 MPIO (tape<->unit record, i.e. unit record front end
for 709) in 360 assembler (360/30 temporary replaces 1401 on way to
upgrading 709/1401 to 360/67). univ. shutdown datacenter from 8am sat
until 8am mon and I could have the whole place to myself for 48hrs
straight (360/30 as my personal computer). I got to design & implement
my own monitor, device drivers, interrupt handlers, error recovery,
storage management, etc.
After a couple months, I had 2000 card assembler program ... with
conditional assembly ... 1) stand-alone (loaded with BPS loader) or 2)
run under os/360. stand-alone took 30mins to assemble (on 360/30)
.... os/360 version took an hr to assemble; >5min per DCB macro (you
could see it hit the DCB macros by pattern in the front panel lights). I
could frequently do multi-punch patches much faster than re-assemble.
--
virtualization experience starting Jan1968, online at home since Mar1970
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407906 is a reply to message #407903] |
Mon, 03 May 2021 15:43 |
scott
Messages: 4237
Registered: February 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> writes:
> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> writes:
>
>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 08:29:22 -0400
>> Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the scans,
>>> to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to be able
>>> to read the cards just by looking at them.
>>
>> I used to be able to do that, more than forty years ago.
>
> Any main-framer has a green card (it may not actually be green)
> that shows the punch codes.
The Burroughs reference cards were yellow, generally, although I have
a couple of green ones from the Electrodata 220 days.
Mine is still on my desk - has the EBCDIC mappings and for each
EBCDIC byte, shows the punch sequence (e.g. DLE, EBCDIC 0x10 is 12-11-9-8-1).
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407909 is a reply to message #407904] |
Mon, 03 May 2021 16:36 |
Dan Espen
Messages: 3867
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> writes:
> On Mon, 03 May 2021 14:26:19 -0400
> Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> writes:
>>
>>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 08:29:22 -0400
>>> Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the
>>>> scans, to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to
>>>> be able to read the cards just by looking at them.
>>>
>>> I used to be able to do that, more than forty years ago.
>>
>> Any main-framer has a green card (it may not actually be green)
>> that shows the punch codes.
>
> Oh sure anyone can look it up, I meant from memory as a result of
> using the hand punch rather than wait for an 029.
I didn't learn by using a hand punch. It was the first thing I had to
learn when I went to programming school. I remember very clearly, took
my first class, memorized the codes, went home had my wife drill me on
it.
Mostly the cards I dealt with were interpreted but sometimes you'd need
to patch an object deck and you'd be reading uninterpreted cards.
I remember once I was trying to find a problem and the character
printed on the card was correct but the punch was wrong.
--
Dan Espen
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407910 is a reply to message #407903] |
Mon, 03 May 2021 17:06 |
|
|
Originally posted by: J. Clarke
On Mon, 03 May 2021 14:26:19 -0400, Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com>
wrote:
> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> writes:
>
>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 08:29:22 -0400
>> Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the scans,
>>> to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to be able
>>> to read the cards just by looking at them.
>>
>> I used to be able to do that, more than forty years ago.
>
> Any main-framer has a green card (it may not actually be green)
> that shows the punch codes.
Somewhere here I have (or had at one time) a yellow green card. My
green green card is the bookmark in my Assembler reference at work.
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407911 is a reply to message #407910] |
Mon, 03 May 2021 17:15 |
Dan Espen
Messages: 3867
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
J. Clarke <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> writes:
> On Mon, 03 May 2021 14:26:19 -0400, Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> writes:
>>
>>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 08:29:22 -0400
>>> Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the scans,
>>>> to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to be able
>>>> to read the cards just by looking at them.
>>>
>>> I used to be able to do that, more than forty years ago.
>>
>> Any main-framer has a green card (it may not actually be green)
>> that shows the punch codes.
>
> Somewhere here I have (or had at one time) a yellow green card. My
> green green card is the bookmark in my Assembler reference at work.
They're in easy reach. 2 pink pamphlets, 1 yellow pamphlet, one white
reference card.
The multi-page reference card is falling apart.
--
Dan Espen
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407915 is a reply to message #407909] |
Mon, 03 May 2021 19:18 |
Charlie Gibbs
Messages: 5313
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
On 2021-05-03, Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> wrote:
> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> writes:
>
>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 14:26:19 -0400
>> Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> writes:
>>>
>>>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 08:29:22 -0400
>>>> Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the
>>>> > scans, to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to
>>>> > be able to read the cards just by looking at them.
>>>>
>>>> I used to be able to do that, more than forty years ago.
I can still do alphanumerics and a handful of special characters.
Plus oddballs like 12-0-1-8-9 (X'00').
>>> Any main-framer has a green card (it may not actually be green)
>>> that shows the punch codes.
>>
>> Oh sure anyone can look it up, I meant from memory as a result of
>> using the hand punch rather than wait for an 029.
When we got a hand punch I attached a note to it:
"Programmers have priority on this punch!"
> I didn't learn by using a hand punch. It was the first thing I had to
> learn when I went to programming school. I remember very clearly, took
> my first class, memorized the codes, went home had my wife drill me on
> it.
>
> Mostly the cards I dealt with were interpreted but sometimes you'd need
> to patch an object deck and you'd be reading uninterpreted cards.
>
> I remember once I was trying to find a problem and the character
> printed on the card was correct but the punch was wrong.
When we converted a customer from a Univac 9300 (which didn't throw data
exceptions on invalid packed decimal digits) to a 90/30 (which did), we
had to track down a scary number of mispunched cards. Something I could
never understand is why the IBM 029 had the vertical bar as shift-Y,
right next to the numeral 1, which was shift-U. A slight overreach and
you got a typo which a quick scan of an interpreted card would miss.
--
/~\ Charlie Gibbs | They don't understand Microsoft
\ / <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> | has stolen their car and parked
X I'm really at ac.dekanfrus | a taxi in their driveway.
/ \ if you read it the right way. | -- Mayayana
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407918 is a reply to message #407915] |
Mon, 03 May 2021 20:01 |
scott
Messages: 4237
Registered: February 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> writes:
> On 2021-05-03, Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> writes:
>>
>>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 14:26:19 -0400
>>> Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> writes:
>>>>
>>>> > On Mon, 03 May 2021 08:29:22 -0400
>>>> > Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> wrote:
>>>> >
>>>> >> Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the
>>>> >> scans, to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to
>>>> >> be able to read the cards just by looking at them.
>>>> >
>>>> > I used to be able to do that, more than forty years ago.
>
> I can still do alphanumerics and a handful of special characters.
> Plus oddballs like 12-0-1-8-9 (X'00').
On the Burroughs systems, control cards were marked with an invalid
punch in column 1. Typically we'd use 1-2-3. The read I/O request
would return with an invalid punch result-descriptor and the OS would
treat the card as a control card and execute it. When printed, the
first column would be printed as ?.
?COMPILE FRED WITH BPL LIB MEM + 60
?DATA CARD
FRED:
BEGIN
STOP;
END.
?END
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407919 is a reply to message #407865] |
Mon, 03 May 2021 21:38 |
Peter Flass
Messages: 8375
Registered: December 2011
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> wrote:
> On 2 May 2021 17:51:59 GMT, Charlie Gibbs wrote:
>>
>> I also have lots reels of 1/2-inch tape. Extra points if you have
>> something that can read them, because there are some files I'd love
>> to recover.
>
> A 1/2-inch tape are punch cards?
>
> In the German folklore usenet group <news:de.alt.folklore.computer> is by
> chance (what are the odds! :-) a topic about how to rescue old punch
> cards with the subject "Lochkarten lesen". Lochkarte is the German term
> for punch cards (or is it punchED cards?), literally "hole card".
>
> Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the scans,
> to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to be able
> to read the cards just by looking at them.
>
> One problem not solved how to get some 1000 cards scanned
> automatically. Scanning 1000 cards manually might otherwise take quite
> some time.
>
> The other problem was to know what format the data are, because punch
> cards just produce data without declaring any meta-data. In the case of
> the German news group the original poster said it was some kind of
> spreadsheet, classifying bird, where they live (some kind of latitude and
> longitude) and other things.
>
> The thread later deviated into programming languages (FORTRAN) and other
> things, and the problem wasn't solved yet.
>
> If someone interested can read and understand German, I mentioned the
> usenet group and subject above. I think the thread has well over 300
> articles by now. If not, and any working solution to scan and read the
> data comes up, I can then post it here.
Someone else will probably reply, but there’s a youtube video of a guy that
built a card reader out of - legos, maybe - it was slow, but it worked.
--
Pete
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407920 is a reply to message #407906] |
Mon, 03 May 2021 21:38 |
Peter Flass
Messages: 8375
Registered: December 2011
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Scott Lurndal <scott@slp53.sl.home> wrote:
> Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> writes:
>> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> writes:
>>
>>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 08:29:22 -0400
>>> Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the scans,
>>>> to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to be able
>>>> to read the cards just by looking at them.
>>>
>>> I used to be able to do that, more than forty years ago.
>>
>> Any main-framer has a green card (it may not actually be green)
>> that shows the punch codes.
>
> The Burroughs reference cards were yellow, generally, although I have
> a couple of green ones from the Electrodata 220 days.
>
> Mine is still on my desk - has the EBCDIC mappings and for each
> EBCDIC byte, shows the punch sequence (e.g. DLE, EBCDIC 0x10 is 12-11-9-8-1).
>
I have a couple, too. EBCDIC I have no problem with, I have to look up lots
of ASCII codes.
--
Pete
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407921 is a reply to message #407909] |
Mon, 03 May 2021 21:38 |
Peter Flass
Messages: 8375
Registered: December 2011
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> wrote:
> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> writes:
>
>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 14:26:19 -0400
>> Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> writes:
>>>
>>>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 08:29:22 -0400
>>>> Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the
>>>> > scans, to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to
>>>> > be able to read the cards just by looking at them.
>>>>
>>>> I used to be able to do that, more than forty years ago.
>>>
>>> Any main-framer has a green card (it may not actually be green)
>>> that shows the punch codes.
>>
>> Oh sure anyone can look it up, I meant from memory as a result of
>> using the hand punch rather than wait for an 029.
>
> I didn't learn by using a hand punch. It was the first thing I had to
> learn when I went to programming school. I remember very clearly, took
> my first class, memorized the codes, went home had my wife drill me on
> it.
>
> Mostly the cards I dealt with were interpreted but sometimes you'd need
> to patch an object deck and you'd be reading uninterpreted cards.
>
> I remember once I was trying to find a problem and the character
> printed on the card was correct but the punch was wrong.
>
I remember one shop where the keypunch available to programmers was an 026
without the print feature.
--
Pete
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407923 is a reply to message #407921] |
Mon, 03 May 2021 22:27 |
Dan Espen
Messages: 3867
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> writes:
> Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> writes:
>>
>>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 14:26:19 -0400
>>> Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> writes:
>>>>
>>>> > On Mon, 03 May 2021 08:29:22 -0400
>>>> > Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> wrote:
>>>> >
>>>> >> Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the
>>>> >> scans, to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to
>>>> >> be able to read the cards just by looking at them.
>>>> >
>>>> > I used to be able to do that, more than forty years ago.
>>>>
>>>> Any main-framer has a green card (it may not actually be green)
>>>> that shows the punch codes.
>>>
>>> Oh sure anyone can look it up, I meant from memory as a result of
>>> using the hand punch rather than wait for an 029.
>>
>> I didn't learn by using a hand punch. It was the first thing I had to
>> learn when I went to programming school. I remember very clearly, took
>> my first class, memorized the codes, went home had my wife drill me on
>> it.
>>
>> Mostly the cards I dealt with were interpreted but sometimes you'd need
>> to patch an object deck and you'd be reading uninterpreted cards.
>>
>> I remember once I was trying to find a problem and the character
>> printed on the card was correct but the punch was wrong.
>
> I remember one shop where the keypunch available to programmers was an 026
> without the print feature.
That's just mean.
I remember being told to use the 519? (EAM equipment that could print a
maximum of 60 characters on a card, not aligned with the columns).
That was junk too.
Stuff like that would get me working weekends, nights.
--
Dan Espen
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407924 is a reply to message #407904] |
Mon, 03 May 2021 22:56 |
Robin Vowels
Messages: 426
Registered: July 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
On Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at 5:00:02 AM UTC+10, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
> On Mon, 03 May 2021 14:26:19 -0400
> Dan Espen <dan1...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <ste...@eircom.net> writes:
>>
>>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 08:29:22 -0400
>>> Andreas Kohlbach <a...@spamfence.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the
>>>> scans, to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to
>>>> be able to read the cards just by looking at them.
>>>
>>> I used to be able to do that, more than forty years ago.
>>
>> Any main-framer has a green card (it may not actually be green)
>> that shows the punch codes.
> Oh sure anyone can look it up, I meant from memory as a result of
> using the hand punch rather than wait for an 029.
..
OK, what's +-6-8 ?
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407925 is a reply to message #407923] |
Mon, 03 May 2021 23:05 |
Robin Vowels
Messages: 426
Registered: July 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
On Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at 12:27:55 PM UTC+10, Dan Espen wrote:
> Peter Flass <peter...@yahoo.com> writes:
>
>> Dan Espen <dan1...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <ste...@eircom.net> writes:
>>>
>>>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 14:26:19 -0400
>>>> Dan Espen <dan1...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > Ahem A Rivet's Shot <ste...@eircom.net> writes:
>>>> >
>>>> >> On Mon, 03 May 2021 08:29:22 -0400
>>>> >> Andreas Kohlbach <a...@spamfence.net> wrote:
>>>> >>
>>>> >>> Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the
>>>> >>> scans, to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to
>>>> >>> be able to read the cards just by looking at them.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> I used to be able to do that, more than forty years ago.
>>>> >
>>>> > Any main-framer has a green card (it may not actually be green)
>>>> > that shows the punch codes.
>>>>
>>>> Oh sure anyone can look it up, I meant from memory as a result of
>>>> using the hand punch rather than wait for an 029.
>>>
>>> I didn't learn by using a hand punch. It was the first thing I had to
>>> learn when I went to programming school. I remember very clearly, took
>>> my first class, memorized the codes, went home had my wife drill me on
>>> it.
>>>
>>> Mostly the cards I dealt with were interpreted but sometimes you'd need
>>> to patch an object deck and you'd be reading uninterpreted cards.
>>>
>>> I remember once I was trying to find a problem and the character
>>> printed on the card was correct but the punch was wrong.
>>
>> I remember one shop where the keypunch available to programmers was an 026
>> without the print feature.
> That's just mean.
> I remember being told to use the 519? (EAM equipment that could print a
> maximum of 60 characters on a card, not aligned with the columns).
> That was junk too.
..
We had to get up before midnight .....
..
In those days, some used a portable hand punch,
to punch binary of all 12 rows at once.
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407928 is a reply to message #407924] |
Tue, 04 May 2021 02:23 |
Ahem A Rivet's Shot
Messages: 4843
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
On Mon, 3 May 2021 19:56:57 -0700 (PDT)
Robin Vowels <robin.vowels@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at 5:00:02 AM UTC+10, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 14:26:19 -0400
>> Dan Espen <dan1...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <ste...@eircom.net> writes:
>>>
>>>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 08:29:22 -0400
>>>> Andreas Kohlbach <a...@spamfence.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the
>>>> > scans, to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-)
>>>> > claiming to be able to read the cards just by looking at them.
>>>>
>>>> I used to be able to do that, more than forty years ago.
>>>
>>> Any main-framer has a green card (it may not actually be green)
>>> that shows the punch codes.
>> Oh sure anyone can look it up, I meant from memory as a result of
>> using the hand punch rather than wait for an 029.
> .
> OK, what's +-6-8 ?
Like I said, more than forty years ago I would have told you
instantly.
--
Steve O'Hara-Smith | Directable Mirror Arrays
C:\>WIN | A better way to focus the sun
The computer obeys and wins. | licences available see
You lose and Bill collects. | http://www.sohara.org/
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407931 is a reply to message #407919] |
Tue, 04 May 2021 06:02 |
|
|
Originally posted by: J. Clarke
On Mon, 3 May 2021 18:38:34 -0700, Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com>
wrote:
> Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> wrote:
>> On 2 May 2021 17:51:59 GMT, Charlie Gibbs wrote:
>>>
>>> I also have lots reels of 1/2-inch tape. Extra points if you have
>>> something that can read them, because there are some files I'd love
>>> to recover.
>>
>> A 1/2-inch tape are punch cards?
>>
>> In the German folklore usenet group <news:de.alt.folklore.computer> is by
>> chance (what are the odds! :-) a topic about how to rescue old punch
>> cards with the subject "Lochkarten lesen". Lochkarte is the German term
>> for punch cards (or is it punchED cards?), literally "hole card".
>>
>> Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the scans,
>> to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to be able
>> to read the cards just by looking at them.
>>
>> One problem not solved how to get some 1000 cards scanned
>> automatically. Scanning 1000 cards manually might otherwise take quite
>> some time.
>>
>> The other problem was to know what format the data are, because punch
>> cards just produce data without declaring any meta-data. In the case of
>> the German news group the original poster said it was some kind of
>> spreadsheet, classifying bird, where they live (some kind of latitude and
>> longitude) and other things.
>>
>> The thread later deviated into programming languages (FORTRAN) and other
>> things, and the problem wasn't solved yet.
>>
>> If someone interested can read and understand German, I mentioned the
>> usenet group and subject above. I think the thread has well over 300
>> articles by now. If not, and any working solution to scan and read the
>> data comes up, I can then post it here.
>
> Someone else will probably reply, but there’s a youtube video of a guy that
> built a card reader out of - legos, maybe - it was slow, but it worked.
There's this one.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcwxW2ne-UU>
With the stuff he had and another servo he could likely have automated
the process.
Note that he's basically scanning the card, he's just using a digital
camera to do it instead of a scanner. I suspect my cell phone could
do for the camera part. A skilled Android programmer could probably
program the phone to orchestrate the whole process.
Hmm. If I every decide that I want to learn Android that might be a
good project--a card reader for the phone--take a picture of a card,
maybe tell it whether it's ASCII or EBCDIC, and it handles the rest.
For extra points handle multiples.
And before you check the play store, card reader apps abound, but they
read business cards, credit cards, loyalty cards and whatnot--didn't
find any that would read the kind of cards we're talking about.
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407933 is a reply to message #407924] |
Tue, 04 May 2021 07:18 |
Dan Espen
Messages: 3867
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Robin Vowels <robin.vowels@gmail.com> writes:
> On Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at 5:00:02 AM UTC+10, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 14:26:19 -0400
>> Dan Espen <dan1...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <ste...@eircom.net> writes:
>>>
>>>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 08:29:22 -0400
>>>> Andreas Kohlbach <a...@spamfence.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the
>>>> > scans, to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to
>>>> > be able to read the cards just by looking at them.
>>>>
>>>> I used to be able to do that, more than forty years ago.
>>>
>>> Any main-framer has a green card (it may not actually be green)
>>> that shows the punch codes.
>> Oh sure anyone can look it up, I meant from memory as a result of
>> using the hand punch rather than wait for an 029.
> .
> OK, what's +-6-8 ?
Beats me. Where is the "+" row on a card?
Last time I looked the rows were numbered 12, 11, 0 - 9.
--
Dan Espen
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407936 is a reply to message #407920] |
Tue, 04 May 2021 10:12 |
scott
Messages: 4237
Registered: February 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> writes:
> Scott Lurndal <scott@slp53.sl.home> wrote:
>> Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> writes:
>>> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> writes:
>>>
>>>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 08:29:22 -0400
>>>> Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the scans,
>>>> > to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to be able
>>>> > to read the cards just by looking at them.
>>>>
>>>> I used to be able to do that, more than forty years ago.
>>>
>>> Any main-framer has a green card (it may not actually be green)
>>> that shows the punch codes.
>>
>> The Burroughs reference cards were yellow, generally, although I have
>> a couple of green ones from the Electrodata 220 days.
>>
>> Mine is still on my desk - has the EBCDIC mappings and for each
>> EBCDIC byte, shows the punch sequence (e.g. DLE, EBCDIC 0x10 is 12-11-9-8-1).
>>
>
> I have a couple, too. EBCDIC I have no problem with, I have to look up lots
> of ASCII codes.
My mouse-pad (trade show giveaway from www.keil.com) has an ASCII character
set chart on it :-)
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407937 is a reply to message #407933] |
Tue, 04 May 2021 10:13 |
scott
Messages: 4237
Registered: February 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> writes:
> Robin Vowels <robin.vowels@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> On Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at 5:00:02 AM UTC+10, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 14:26:19 -0400
>>> Dan Espen <dan1...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <ste...@eircom.net> writes:
>>>>
>>>> > On Mon, 03 May 2021 08:29:22 -0400
>>>> > Andreas Kohlbach <a...@spamfence.net> wrote:
>>>> >
>>>> >> Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the
>>>> >> scans, to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to
>>>> >> be able to read the cards just by looking at them.
>>>> >
>>>> > I used to be able to do that, more than forty years ago.
>>>>
>>>> Any main-framer has a green card (it may not actually be green)
>>>> that shows the punch codes.
>>> Oh sure anyone can look it up, I meant from memory as a result of
>>> using the hand punch rather than wait for an 029.
>> .
>> OK, what's +-6-8 ?
>
> Beats me. Where is the "+" row on a card?
> Last time I looked the rows were numbered 12, 11, 0 - 9.
You are responding to Rod Speed, Dan. 'nuf said.
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407944 is a reply to message #407937] |
Tue, 04 May 2021 12:10 |
Dan Espen
Messages: 3867
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) writes:
> Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> writes:
>> Robin Vowels <robin.vowels@gmail.com> writes:
>>
>>> On Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at 5:00:02 AM UTC+10, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>>>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 14:26:19 -0400
>>>> Dan Espen <dan1...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > Ahem A Rivet's Shot <ste...@eircom.net> writes:
>>>> >
>>>> > > On Mon, 03 May 2021 08:29:22 -0400
>>>> > > Andreas Kohlbach <a...@spamfence.net> wrote:
>>>> > >
>>>> > >> Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the
>>>> > >> scans, to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to
>>>> > >> be able to read the cards just by looking at them.
>>>> > >
>>>> > > I used to be able to do that, more than forty years ago.
>>>> >
>>>> > Any main-framer has a green card (it may not actually be green)
>>>> > that shows the punch codes.
>>>> Oh sure anyone can look it up, I meant from memory as a result of
>>>> using the hand punch rather than wait for an 029.
>>> .
>>> OK, what's +-6-8 ?
>>
>> Beats me. Where is the "+" row on a card?
>> Last time I looked the rows were numbered 12, 11, 0 - 9.
>
> You are responding to Rod Speed, Dan. 'nuf said.
I'm guessing you're right, but this one seems a little off.
Probably meant 12 6 8 which would be EBCDIC +.
--
Dan Espen
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407947 is a reply to message #407921] |
Tue, 04 May 2021 13:49 |
Charlie Gibbs
Messages: 5313
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
On 2021-05-04, Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Mostly the cards I dealt with were interpreted but sometimes you'd need
>> to patch an object deck and you'd be reading uninterpreted cards.
>>
>> I remember once I was trying to find a problem and the character
>> printed on the card was correct but the punch was wrong.
>
> I remember one shop where the keypunch available to programmers was an 026
> without the print feature.
When I was at university they were in the process of transitioning
from a 7044 to a 360/67. Since the card codes were different for the
two machines, there were two groups of keypunches in the student area.
The 7044 was being used less and less, so there were always lineups
for the 360-coded keypunches while the 7044 punches stood empty.
I quickly figured out that the correspondence between the keyboard
and the holes punched in the cards was the same for both punches,
so I disregarded the markings on the keycaps and touch-typed what
I needed on a 7044 punch rather than waiting for a 360 punch.
Special characters were printed wrong on the card, but that was
less of inconvenience than waiting in line for a punch. (Some
of the 7044 punches were 029s - for the 026s I got good at using
the multi-punch key to get the unsupported characters.)
The other way I managed to quickly get access to a keypunch was by
learning to clear a jammed unit. There was almost always one or
two units out of service. Not having a card saw, I would tear a
card in half lengthwise, feed it under the punch head, trip the
interlocks, and punch a bunch of stuff while moving the card
around. It worked a treat, and not only did I immediately get
a punch to use, but it was left available for others.
Since I quickly got into the use of program cards, another problem
was a malfunction in the unit that read the drum. This was usually
caused by people not bothering to raise the star wheels before
jamming the drum into position. I'd have to open the back and
retrieve the star wheels that had been knocked off, and set them
back into position before I could use the punch.
--
/~\ Charlie Gibbs | They don't understand Microsoft
\ / <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> | has stolen their car and parked
X I'm really at ac.dekanfrus | a taxi in their driveway.
/ \ if you read it the right way. | -- Mayayana
|
|
|
|
| Re: Blank 80-column punch cards up for grabs [message #407948 is a reply to message #407924] |
Tue, 04 May 2021 13:49 |
Charlie Gibbs
Messages: 5313
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
On 2021-05-04, Robin Vowels <robin.vowels@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at 5:00:02 AM UTC+10, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 14:26:19 -0400
>> Dan Espen <dan1...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <ste...@eircom.net> writes:
>>>
>>>> On Mon, 03 May 2021 08:29:22 -0400
>>>> Andreas Kohlbach <a...@spamfence.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > Ideas range from scanning them and run some OCR software over the
>>>> > scans, to one person (Christian C., liest Du hier mit? :-) claiming to
>>>> > be able to read the cards just by looking at them.
>>>>
>>>> I used to be able to do that, more than forty years ago.
>>>
>>> Any main-framer has a green card (it may not actually be green)
>>> that shows the punch codes.
>>
>> Oh sure anyone can look it up, I meant from memory as a result of
>> using the hand punch rather than wait for an 029.
>
> OK, what's +-6-8 ?
That depends. It sounds like you're using a BCD-encoded punch.
On an EBCDIC punch that would be &-6-8.
Or we could be ecumenical and call it 12-6-8.
--
/~\ Charlie Gibbs | They don't understand Microsoft
\ / <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> | has stolen their car and parked
X I'm really at ac.dekanfrus | a taxi in their driveway.
/ \ if you read it the right way. | -- Mayayana
|
|
|
|
Members
Search
Help
Register
Login
Home
