On 18/05/2010 11:56 AM, Invisible wrote:
> Was there ever a time when programs were entered into memory via
> switches rather than some other medium?
>
> Was there ever a "punched tape" medium similar to punch cards?

When I started working in computing in 1969, the Honeywell H416 then 
later H316 was booted by entering about a dozen binary codes into the 
switch register. This told the CPU which peripheral to read and where in 
memory to but the loader program, which was read using a paper tape 
reader. After the loader tape was read you then read the program using 
the paper tape reader. Only then could you enter any data. In 1976 
Burroughs Machines were manufacturing 96 column card readers.

The first computer I ever saw was in 1997 at Glasgow University. It was 
an analogue machine that used valves.


-- 

Best Regards,
	Stephen

Post a reply to this message