The first punched tape I saw was controlling the XY coordinates for PCB drilling machine.

 

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We had 8 and 5 bit tapes, the ones we loaded programs and operational data were Mylar.

 

To this day, when you finish an IC design and prepare the final files to send to the fab, it is referred to as "taping out" the design, harkening back to the days when this was done by physically outputting the design to tape and shipping them to the fab.

 

 

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Hey, even the original stand-alone Garmins are obsolete now.

 

Hello,

I also remember the magnetic soap holder.

I learned a bit of programming using schrap kaarten ( pencil written cards ):


Bertus

 

 

 

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I remember the smell!

 

 

80-column punch cards. Used for LOTS of different things, from storing computer programs to data records to configuration information for various pieces of hardware. At least a few people used them for going group testing via superimposed codes, but I don't know if that was ever done in anything other than research and proof-of-concept situations.

Does anyone remember watching Hawaii 50? Whenever the did a license plate search they did a stock scene of a punch card reader buzzing through cards.

 

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I still have an old Rand McNally Road Atlas that I purchased at Walmart.