Punch Card

Punch Card Data Storage Early Computing Index Card Data Input Computer History Keypunch
A punch card is an index card with holes punched in predefined positions to represent data or instructions. Widely used in the 1960s for inputting information into computers, punch cards have since become obsolete, replaced by more advanced interactive terminals and input devices.
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Definition

A Punch Card refers to an index card into which holes are punched in various predefined positions. These holes represent digital data or instructions that can be read by early computing machines and tabulating devices. Punch cards were a critical method for inputting data into computers, especially during the 1950s and 1960s, until they were gradually phased out in favor of more interactive and efficient data input terminals and storage devices.

Examples

  1. IBM 80-Column Punch Card: The most common punch card format, designed by IBM, could hold 80 bytes of data by representing one character per column through a series of punches.

  2. Hollerith Card: Developed by Herman Hollerith for the 1890 U.S. Census, this early punch card used a specific coding system to store numeric data for population statistics.

  3. FORTRAN Cards: Used to store programs written in the FORTRAN programming language; each line of code corresponded to one punch card.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How were punch cards read by computers?

  • Punch cards were read by machines called card readers, which detected the presence or absence of holes at designated positions on the card. The readers translated this information into electrical signals that the computer could process.

2. What is a keypunch machine?

  • A keypunch machine is a mechanical device used for manually punching holes into cards at specific positions based on user input, often through a typewriter-like keyboard.

3. Why did punch cards become obsolete?

  • Punch cards became obsolete due to the advent of more efficient data input methods, such as magnetic tape storage, disk drives, and modern terminal interfaces that allowed faster and more flexible data handling.
  • Keypunch: A machine used to input data onto punch cards by punching holes at specific positions.
  • Tabulating Machine: A device used to summarize information stored on punch cards, pivotal in the early data processing industry.
  • Card Reader: A peripheral device that reads the punched holes on a card and translates them into data that computers can process.

Online References

  1. Computer History Museum - Punch Cards
  2. IBM Archives - The Era of Punch Cards
  3. Wikipedia - Punched Card

Suggested Books for Further Studies

  1. “IBM’s 100 Icons of Progress” by IBM Corporation
  2. “The Story of Punched Cards: Collecting Science and Technology in the History of Computing” by Joseph J. Corn
  3. “They Made America: From the Steam Engine to the Search Engine: Two Centuries of Innovators” by Harold Evans

Fundamentals of Punch Cards: Computer History Basics Quiz

### What function did the holes in a punch card serve? - [x] Represent data for computers to process - [ ] Decorate the cards similarly to embroidery patterns - [ ] Make them lighter for easier handling - [ ] Allow the cards to fit more easily into filing systems > **Explanation:** The holes in a punch card represented data or instructions that early computers and tabulating machines could process. ### Which company popularized the 80-column format punch card? - [x] IBM - [ ] General Electric - [ ] Hewlett-Packard - [ ] Microsoft > **Explanation:** IBM popularized the 80-column punch card format, which became a standard in data processing. ### How did a keypunch machine work? - [x] By punching holes into cards based on input from a keyboard - [ ] By scanning existing cards and creating duplicates - [ ] By magnetically encoding data onto cards - [ ] By reading out data stored in the cards audibly > **Explanation:** Keypunch machines were used to manually punch holes into cards according to user input provided through a typewriter-like keyboard. ### When did punch cards become largely obsolete? - [ ] 1940s - [x] 1980s - [ ] 1910s - [ ] 2000s > **Explanation:** Punch cards became largely obsolete by the 1980s as more advanced and efficient data input and storage technologies emerged. ### Which machine did the U.S. Census Bureau use for the 1890 census that featured punch cards? - [x] Hollerith Tabulating Machine - [ ] ENIAC - [ ] Colossus - [ ] UNIVAC I > **Explanation:** The U.S. Census Bureau used the Hollerith Tabulating Machine for the 1890 census, which utilized punch cards for data processing. ### What device was commonly employed to read punch cards? - [x] Card Reader - [ ] Fax Machine - [ ] Modem - [ ] Optical Disk Drive > **Explanation:** Card readers were peripheral devices designed to read the punched holes on cards and translate them into digital data for processing by computers. ### What type of punch card was used to store instructions for early computer programs like FORTRAN? - [x] FORTRAN Cards - [ ] COBOL Cards - [ ] Assembly Cards - [ ] Boot Cards > **Explanation:** FORTRAN cards were a type of punch card used to store programs written in the FORTRAN programming language, with each line of code corresponding to one card. ### Why were punch cards significant in early computing? - [x] They were a primary method for data storage and input - [ ] They were primarily used as postcards - [ ] They were used to decorate the computers - [ ] They stored binary magnetic codes > **Explanation:** Punch cards were significant as they provided a primary method for storing and inputting data and instructions into early computers. ### What is another term for a punch card? - [x] Punched Card - [ ] Magnetic Card - [ ] Token Card - [ ] Data Strip > **Explanation:** "Punched card" is another term for a punch card, referring to the type of data storage medium with holes punched to represent information. ### What succeeded punch cards as the dominant data storage medium? - [ ] Morse Code - [ ] Letterpress Printing - [x] Magnetic Tape and Disk Drives - [ ] Paper Scrolls > **Explanation:** Magnetic tape and disk drives succeeded punch cards as they offered more efficient, faster, and larger capacity data storage and input.

Thank you for exploring the history and importance of punch cards in early computing. Pursue excellence in understanding our technological heritage!

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