Genome,

On Tue, 28 Nov 2006 02:55:38 +0800, Genome wrote:

> was not punch cards or tape used as storage when the first computer like 
> mechanisms were invented.. a hole and no hole on paper.. this were a lot 
> older than those vacuume tube computers.. they are more like type writers. I 
> think.

Yes, Hollerith used punched cards for the US Census in 1890, processed electro-mechanically.  It meant the census 
results were available before the next census was taken!  FORTRAN uses "H" to indicate a "Hollerith" data type 
(character string).

Punched tape was used in 1944 by Colossus, the Lorenz-encryption cracking computer (which was electronic) and read 
it at a speed that even these days is pretty staggering for paper tape (5000 char/sec).

Cheers,


Howard Winter
St.Albans, England


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