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Mike L · 06-25-2009, 02:21 PM

Hi NormHart,

I started with Autocoder for the IBM 1401, then moved to an assembly language (I think it was just called Assembler) for the ICT 1900 Series.

But then I decided to stop lurking in the past and embrace the 1960s, so I learned Cobol and never looked back.

My ICT 1900 programs were on 7-track paper tape. Much easier on the muscles than a tray of cards, but much more difficult to edit one instruction in the middle of the code.

Did you ever learn to read punch cards (I mean with you eyes, not with a machine)? I was pretty good at it, but I wouldn't have a clue nowadays.

06-25-2009, 02:21 PM	#34
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,479 Karma: 3846231 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3, Samsung Galaxy	Hi NormHart, I started with Autocoder for the IBM 1401, then moved to an assembly language (I think it was just called Assembler) for the ICT 1900 Series. But then I decided to stop lurking in the past and embrace the 1960s, so I learned Cobol and never looked back. My ICT 1900 programs were on 7-track paper tape. Much easier on the muscles than a tray of cards, but much more difficult to edit one instruction in the middle of the code. Did you ever learn to read punch cards (I mean with you eyes, not with a machine)? I was pretty good at it, but I wouldn't have a clue nowadays.