pumpking n.
Syn. for pumpkin
holder; see patch
pumpkin.
Node:punched card, Next:punt, Previous:pumpking, Up:=
P =
punched card n.obs.
[techspeak] (alt. `punch card') The signature medium of
computing's Stone Age, now
obsolescent outside of some IBM shops. The punched card actually
predated computers considerably, originating in 1801 as a control
device for mechanical looms. The version patented by Hollerith
and used with mechanical tabulating machines in the 1890 U.S.
Census was a piece of cardboard about 90 mm by 215 mm. There is a
widespread myth that it was designed to fit in the currency trays
used for that era's larger dollar bills, but recent
investigations have falsified this.
IBM (which originated as a tabulating-machine manufacturer)
married the punched card to computers, encoding binary
information as patterns of small rectangular holes; one character
per column, 80 columns per card. Other coding schemes, sizes of
card, and hole shapes were tried at various times.
The 80-column width of most character terminals is a legacy of
the IBM punched card; so is the size of the quick-reference cards
distributed with many varieties of computers even today. See
chad, chad
box, eighty-column
mind, green card,
dusty deck, lace card, card walloper.