expansion differences (was Re: Micro$oft Biz'droid Lusers)

From: Douglas H. Quebbeman <dquebbeman_at_acm.org>
Date: Fri Apr 26 12:14:11 2002

> Christopher Smith wrote:
> > you write and
> > > compile a Fortran program? Could you save your work in any
> >
> > I'm not sure whether there were any compilers available that
> > didn't require disk drives. It would have been possible (not
> > fun) given the proper programs.
>
> Fortran II could compile from paper tape on the IBM 1620.
> The PDP-8 had I think a paper tape version of fortran too,
> but not sure what version, II or IV.

I think this might be an articial distinction...

All the operating systems for the CDC 6600 and its kin
required some kind of disk or drum drive, where parts
of the operating system would reside.

However, the compiler itself could just as easily have
been loaded and run from tape in the Chippewa OS.

The FORTRAN programs it processed could be on magtape
or on cards; Chippewa doesn't seem to have any papertape
support. There does not appear to be any support for the
user or even the operator to have disk-resident files,
as there was no filesystem to speak of in Chippewa.

-dq
Received on Fri Apr 26 2002 - 12:14:11 BST