Computer Punched Cards
Punch Card (1970s)
Up until the 1970s, most data was input into a computer system via punched paper cards.
A punched card (also know as a punch card, IBM card, or Hollerith card) is a stiff piece of paper (card stock) in which holes could be punched in patterns that contained either commands for controlling automated machinery, or data.
Information was manually typed into a keypunch machine by computer programmers which "punched" the data into the cards. Stacks of punched cards were then read into the computer by way of an automated card reader machine.
Punched cards would start to be replaced by magnetic tape during the mid 1960's, but was still being used on some computers up until the 1980s.
Some Memorabilia with Computer Punched Cards in them
