In a recent note, "Shmuel Metz (Seymour J.)" said: > Date: Wed, 15 Mar 2006 07:48:58 -0500 > > In <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, on 03/14/2006 > at 03:08 PM, Paul Gilmartin <[log in to unmask]> said: > > >I know, but it could also be cabled to a 70* computer and used as a > >printer and card reader, in which case it could read only 72 columns > >of each card. > > There was certainly a 716[1] printer for the 7090 using a box similar > to a 407, but it was strictly[2] a printer. The 7090 used a separate > 711[1] unit for a card reader. > I may well stand corrected on the device type. However I have a distinct memory of colleagues at one 7090 installation submitting jobs with the notation to the operator: "80 column data; do not read job online!" meaning that the operator must submit the job via the 1401/1402 rather than the 7xx.
The essence arose from 36-bit words and row binary converted to characters in software. > >In contrast, the PDP-6 stored five characters per word, > > The PDP-6 also stored 6 characters per word. > Agreed. Symptomatic of a very late design decision. I conjecture they recognized the need for 7-bit ASCII too late to redesign the OS programming interface. -- gil -- StorageTek INFORMATION made POWERFUL ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
