Monday, September 04, 2006

Keypunching

This is the first keypunch machine I worked on. It is an IBM-029 and it looks pretty drab but it had pretty blue keys for functions.


I was 23 years old and it was my first computer job. I worked in Roswell, NM at First National Bank.

7 comments:

Audrey said...

What information was stored?

Bobbie said...

Information to setup a new account for example. Sometimes it might take 4 or 5 cards, identified by card number, to get all the information.

Audrey said...

What would the computer do with that information? Just store it?

Bobbie said...

We would print bank statements from it and the activity on the customers account. Also we sold time on the computer to other businesses and would keypunch their information too.

Debi said...

I remember when you worked there. I even remember visiting after school a few times. And Grandpa was a programmer there. How many people staffed the computer department then?

Bobbie said...

Well, our department wasn't so big really. Three keypunch, about six encoders (for checks), three programmers, two operators, and one control clerk. Well that is 15 people, counting me and grandpa.

Bobbie said...

Woops...I forgot the boss. Ha ha.