Introducing Papa Bernhardt: Greg'sDad on Physics Forums

[Tsu]

Oooohhhh, yeaaaaaahhh! I'd forgotten about the fish-slapping dance. A mind is a terrible thing to loose...

 

[Math Is Hard]

I watched that thing 100+ times and I still laugh.

 

[Borek]

You're only old if you ever programmed by punching cards.

Does punching paper tape count?

Welcome Greg's Dad!

 

[Math Is Hard]

I hope you will enjoy Physics Forums, Greg'sDad.

 

[turbo]

You're only old if you ever programmed by punching cards.

Hey! I resemble that incineration. I spent many long hours in college at IBM consoles punching cards. Bundle them, turn them into the computer "priests" and pray that they will result in a nice fat white and green fanfold printout. It really stunk if you got errors and there was insufficient time to re-code, re-submit, and get the cards run in time to make the assignment deadline. Our engineering school was large and when 1st and 2nd year students (in huge classes) got programming assignments, the people running computer were swamped.

 

[Greg'sDad]

I did start out with punch cards! See, I am old. I was at University of WI, Madison in Mechanical Engineering (my half-life was 5 years) and my first punch card program in Fortran hung up the mainframe. They confiscated my program and really thought I did something bad on purpose! Computers have not always been my friend, but I appreciate what they do for me when needed.

 

[Greg'sDad]

I'm really lost with all the fish talk. I'll have to ask Greg,

 

[Astronuc]

Hey everyone! Yes, Greg's Mother and I are unbelieveably proud of Greg and his Sister. I'm a bit of a neophyte with forums, but have been into computers since my first Apple II in the early 80's. Yes, I'm that old.

It's very touching to hear all the compliments about Greg!

Greg had an exceptional idea with PF. It's a one-of-a-kind!

Anyway, I started out with pencil, paper and slide rule, and used teletypes (TTY) and timesharing, modems through phones, punch tapes and punch cards - and I'm not that old.

Welcome to PF, Dad!

 

[Moonbear]

I'm not sure there actually IS an 'explanation' for the fish-whacking. It just kind of... started.

Welcome GregsDad! Just remember... you like itsy bitsy teenie weenie little goldfish OK?

Yeah, it seemed to evolve from the free bowls of cereal in the welcome tent. I think I'll take fish over a sack of grain for whacking.

 

[Redbelly98]

Does punching paper tape count?

I suppose it would ... but may I ask just how long ago people were doing that, in your neck of the woods?

I used punch cards in a freshman programming course at Case Western Reserve. The very next year they brought in these newfangled CRT terminals, so I was in the very last group to use cards there.

 

[Moonbear]

My grade school teacher used punch cards to grade our multiple choice tests...he'd punch out the holes and then hold them over our answer sheets...marked it wrong if the bubble wasn't filled in under the hole in the card. Does that count?

 

[JamesU]

My grade school teacher used punch cards to grade our multiple choice tests...he'd punch out the holes and then hold them over our answer sheets...marked it wrong if the bubble wasn't filled in under the hole in the card. Does that count?

Off-topic, but that seems way too easy to cheat on..Couldn't you just fill in multiple bubbles?

 

[Moonbear]

Off-topic, but that seems way too easy to cheat on..Couldn't you just fill in multiple bubbles?

He'd have noticed anything that obvious...not like he wasn't looking at each one as he placed the card over it. Or maybe we were just an honest class.

 

[OmCheeto]

If I apologize here for going totally GD in Greg'sDad thread do I get off lightly?

 

[Tsu]

No!

 

[Borek]

I suppose it would ... but may I ask just how long ago people were doing that, in your neck of the woods?

I have seen tape punchers in use here somewehere in mid-seventies; I was a teenager at the time and my best use for them was to write messages on the tape making letters from holes - like KOCHAM JOLE (I love Jola, no idea who Jola was but for some reason I am sure that's what it said); all I remember is that complete row of holes was just a cancelation. Tape was used for input on Polish Odra computers. In 1981 when I wrote my first program (for CDC Cyber) I have used card puncher, but most likely is 70/80 both things were used at the same time, just in different places.

Last Odra still works at railway station in Wrocław. If it ain't broken - don't fix it

Oops, how do I fix the message that it looks like it is still ON topic?

Welcome Greg's Dad!

(was it enough?)