FW: IBM Magnetic cards

From: Jeff Kaneko <Jeff.Kaneko_at_ifrsys.com>
Date: Thu Jan 8 12:16:24 1998

> From: Kimberley Weathers <kweather_at_bcm.tmc.edu>
> Subject: IBM Magnetic cards
>
> I work at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, in their archives. I
> found these cards are shaped like a punch card, but look like a floppy
> diskette without the cover. They're from about 1976, and I can't find
> anyone, not even at IBM, to read them. Any ideas? I know that after all
> this they may not even work, but it's worth a try, because this looks like
> important info. Any suggestions?
>
> Thank you,
>
> Kimberley Weathers
> kweather_at_bcm.tmc.edu
>

I remember these. There were two kinds of machines that I recall use
this media. The first, I know little about; that's the IBM word
processors based on the Selectric typewriter mechanism.

These beasts were what looked like an IBM selectric with a THICK
umbilical to a 2 1/2 foot high cabinet that sat next to your desk.
These had a cardreader, that would move the card in and out as it
read the tracks.

The other one, I worked on for a awhile, was a similar word processor
manufactured by Redactron Corp, of Yaphank NY (or NJ?). The
'Redactor' used these MAG cards at first, then changed to cassette
tape.

They were later bought out by Burroughs, in their abortive attempt to
enter the word processor business. They were thoroughly clobbered by
the likes of NBI and Lanier, who were both subsequently killed in
the ensuing PeeCee 'revolution' (revulsion?).

I haven't seen a mag card reader of any 'stripe' in many years.

Sorry for the long (and largely irrelevent) reply. That's what
happens when you revive a long-dead memory: It tends to assume a life
of its own.

Jeff
Received on Thu Jan 08 1998 - 12:16:24 GMT