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That photo of Colossus

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Re: That photo of Colossus

#11

Post by ngcc_hk »

“D. Well I was quite angry as we had kept it a secret for so long. There is me now in all the books. I didn’t like that!” Cannot stop laughing. Rip Dorothy. Uk has a fighting chance with you girls working in that industry. Would have to play a visit.

Guess no one would catch me as a chinese spy to copy that ba.

Re: That photo of Colossus

#12

Post by danieltillett »

mirimir wrote: post #8

Damn, high-speed paper-tape! I used an early DNA sequencer controlled by paper tape, and it's touchy to keep the tape from breaking. I think that they migrated the mechanism from looms. The belt drives also remind me of the water- and steam-powered eras.

Any idea what this DNA sequencer was as it must have been really early. I can't think of any sequencer even in the 1980s that used paper tape.

Re: That photo of Colossus

#15

Post by mirimir »

danieltillett wrote: post #12
mirimir wrote: post #8

Damn, high-speed paper-tape! I used an early DNA sequencer controlled by paper tape, and it's touchy to keep the tape from breaking. I think that they migrated the mechanism from looms. The belt drives also remind me of the water- and steam-powered eras.

Any idea what this DNA sequencer was as it must have been really early. I can't think of any sequencer even in the 1980s that used paper tape.

This was in the early 1970s. It was more or less a prototype.

Re: That photo of Colossus

#16

Post by HillRat »

mirimir wrote: post #15
danieltillett wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any idea what this DNA sequencer was as it must have been really early. I can't think of any sequencer even in the 1980s that used paper tape.

This was in the early 1970s. It was more or less a prototype.

A decade ahead of the industry! Was that Hood’s early work at Caltech?

Re: That photo of Colossus

#17

Post by mirimir »

ngcc_hk wrote: post #10
skookumchuck wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Paper tape is indeed a descendant of the Jacquard Loom. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacquard_loom#Mechanical_Jacqu...

First thing i think of. In fact the Ibm for quite a while can be considered as a punch paper card company (and their first antitrust is about their use of that to meter the computer use)

Paper tape was even more of a pain than cards were. Or at least, in different ways. Cards jammed, it's true. But you could easily replace damaged cards. Repairing damaged tape was iffy. On the other hand, one might drop a stack of cards. So some of us would number the cards in pencil. Carefully, and lightly.
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