Joe wrote:
>
> At 11:52 AM 6/17/98 -0700, you wrote:
> >On Wed, 17 Jun 1998, Jeff Kaneko wrote:
> >
> >> > I think there was an automated loom that was invented in the 17th century
> >> > that wove a pattern based on a template, but I don't recall if this was a
> >> > hole punch reader, a specially shaped gear, or other apparatus. It did
> >> > exist though. Although most definitely not a computer as we see them
> today,
> >> > it did take a program for input, process it, and output it in the form of
> >> > fabric. (I think this was right before CGA was made a standard...)
> >>
> >> I remember seeing a picture of this machine-- it was a link-belt of
> >> cards in a loop, with holes punched through them. They would pass by
> >> this 'reader' thingie which would 'read' the card with a matrix of
> >> metal rods poking through the holes.
> >
> >BTW, this was called the Jacquard Loom, named after the inventor,
> >Joseph-Marie Jacquard. The basic punch card idea led to Herman
> >Hollerith's census tabulator and was adopted by Charles Babbage in his
> >designs for his difference engine.
>
> And Hollerith's card were directly copied for use as punch cards for
> computers. The standard 80 column card is exactly the same size as those
> used by Hollerith, although Hollerith's cards used fewer holes.
And after a couple of mergers, the Hollerith Tabulating Machine Company
_is_ IBM.
--
Ward Griffiths
They say that politics makes strange bedfellows.
Of course, the main reason they cuddle up is to screw somebody else.
Michael Flynn, _Rogue Star_
Received on Wed Jun 17 1998 - 23:27:16 BST