Yes, I remember punch cards. I did RPG and COBOL, and I remember the flow
charts and everything. You had to write the stuff up in braille, and then
make the punch cards, then run the punch cards and print it out. I used to
be able to read the punch cards. I know there were those key punch things
that looked like electric typewriters, but does anybody ever remember those
manual keypunches? They had I think something like twelve keys on them, so
you had to press the right combinations in order to make the letter you
wanted to write. Like writing braille, sort-of. Pam.
-----Original Message-----
From: LB via Talk
Sent: Monday, August 03, 2015 12:38 PM
To: dlh...@centurylink.net ; Window-Eyes Discussion List
Subject: Re: Screen Reader History
Hi!
Yes, memory lane. Remember those nasty punch cards? You certainly hoped
that no one tripped you up, or you spilled soda on them, for that nasty
picking up the cards and sorting them out...boy those were the days.
I had used basic, self taught for work and re-wrote a Cornel University
experts software he had written for the NCR production line. It did little,
so I did it.
I wrote all 3 points, Data Entry, Data processing, and Data printing of
the charts. All were for quality control all through the production line for
all printers and terminals produced at the Ithaca plant...
Remember, cassette tapes were used back then for data processing, along
with 10 inch disks, that had only about 2K of memory/space on them.
All the data entered by the secretary was processed one at a time and by
noon the data was sorted and processed. I used the 2K disks and limited
memory to do al this stuff...
Talk about the stone age, you certainly learned to use limited space for
everything, for you had no choice.
But it worked, in fact, was all done 6 months before I went blind, a car
accident, and it was my perfect transition over to a new job at the same
company; I was there resident expert and saved the company, so I was told.
Then, after loosing the eye sight I was given a Braille machine, which
was like having a file cabinet next to you. It was made out of Oak wood, for
the printing punches had to be kept quiet and strong enough to be kept from
bouncing around, thus the solid wood cabinet was used and a tray under it
for the perforated Braille paper that came up through a slot as the tractor
pulled it up.
Yes, TriFormations produced that Brailler...
The good old days, or "Stone Age" as most people would say now. You
know, like the slide rule, our hand held computer back in prehistoric
times...
Bruce
Sent: Monday, August 03, 2015 12:16 PM
Subject: Re: Screen Reader History
Wow! This is bringing back some fun memories!
Around 1983 or 84 i started taking some BASIC programming language
classes at my local Radio Shack. they had several Model 4's that ran
Trsdos and CPM. the instructor had rigged up the systems to speak. it
was quite crude and was not a Screen Reader at all. No way to repeat
anything. but it was a start, I knew right there and then, I wanted a
Computer. I begged, borrowed and stole enough to finally get one of
those Model 4 systems. Bought some actual Screen Reader for about $300
and I wa son my way. Loved playing Zork, and many other Infocomm games.
I was in a Relationship that went bad. The woman gave me back my
engagement ring, and I traded it to a guy that had several IBM XT
machines. And once I had my first MS Dos system, there was no looking
back. This may have been around 1986 or 87. I am so glad that
woman broke up with me! Because she did, I had a Career in Computers.
Too funny.
Bought a screen reader out of Ohio, think it was called Enhanced PC.
then bought the one done by Arctic. finally came on to Vocal Eyes around
1991 or 92.
When Windows 3.1 came along, I did purchase some windows Screen Reader
out of Canada. It sucked, but I needed it for work.
i bought the Window eyes program when it came along. And it was a bit
limited, but it worked well enough for me to keep my job. Been with
Window eyes to this day. have yet to buy JAWS, although I've helped others
who have it.
thanks for the walk down memory lane.
edline! Now that makes me laugh.i once had to use that very limited
editor to write COBOL and JCL. Was using a PC hooked up to a huge
mainframe at Boeing.
I kept wanting to use Word Star to write my code, but was told to use
Edline or else!
Crazy times back then.
--
Dave <dlh...@centurylink.net>
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