For those like me who do not know what a noodle picker was.. wikipedia <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_2321_Data_Cell> has the following (and a photo)
The *IBM 2321 Data Cell* announced in April 1964 (withdrawn January 1975) is a discontinued direct access storage device <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_access_storage_device> (DASD) for the IBM <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM> System/360 <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System/360>. It holds up to 400 megabytes <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megabyte> of data, with an access time of 95 milliseconds to 600 milliseconds, depending on the addressed strip position and data arrangement in each data cell.[1] <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_2321_Data_Cell#cite_note-1> The 2321 was whimsically known as the "noodle picker" since the removable magnetic strips were flexible and resembled lasagna <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasagna> noodles.[2] <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_2321_Data_Cell#cite_note-2> I thought it referred to people eating their noodles over it, and dropping bits in... like biscuits in a laptop. On Sat, 30 Oct 2021 at 17:43, William Donzelli <wdonze...@gmail.com> wrote: > > I doubt there is an "official"source for this term, but it was a commonly > > used slang term at the time. > > > > (This comment is from an old old timer who actually programmed and used a > > noodle picker a long time ago. One thing we learned early: if possible, > > keep datasets open and avoid the need to access a VTOC often. ) > > I bet with enough digging, one could find the official IBM memo that > banned the term. > > -- > Will > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, > send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
