12 Hole Paper Tape Library - CSIRAC Computer, 1955-1964

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Summary:: Collection of 12 hole paper tapes used for input to CSIRAC. They comprise the original program library tapes, tapes of work in progress by Computation Laboratory staff and tapes from outside users. The total number of these tapes is approximately 450.

The collection includes the original University of Melbourne Computation Laboratory Paper Tape Library of 12 hole tapes of subroutines and programs, and program and data tapes from staff and outside users.
Most of the paper tapes were 12-track punched paper tapes. 5 hole paper tapes were used primarily for data input and output rather than program input. However, 5 hole program tapes could be produced by using Interprogram, an English language programming system rather than using machine language.

Each tape has a 'T' number. The Computation Laboratory Paper Tape Library consisted of tapes with a tape number less than 700. There were not 700 tapes but the number 700 was arbitrarily chosen to separate the Computation Laboratory Library tapes from user tapes.
Acquisition Information:: Donation from University of Melbourne (The) Computer Science & Software Engineering Department

Discipline:

Technology

Tagged with:	computing, csirac computer, first generation computers, mainframe computers
Themes this item is part of:	The significance of the CSIRAC Software Library, The CSIRAC Program Library, Information & Communication Collection, CSIRAC Collection, Archival Paper Tape Reading Project for CSIRAC 12 Hole Paper Tapes
Primary Classification:	COMPUTING & CALCULATING
Secondary Classification:	Digital Computing
Tertiary Classification:	software
User:	University of Melbourne (The) Computation Laboratory, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1956-1964
Collector:	CSIRAC History Team, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1995