Talk:Unit record equipment

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[edit] "Unit record equipment" category?

Some pages for various forms of unit record equipment are pointing to this page as the "main page", but, as User:R. S. Shaw noted in his removal of one such link from IBM 407, "main is used for sections, not whole article". It might be more appropriate to add a "Unit record equipment" category and have the pages currently using {{Main|Unit record equipment}} instead use [[Category:Unit record equipment]]. Guy Harris 22:07, 9 October 2006 (UTC)

Another possibility would be to use Template:SubArticle on the articles about pieces of unit record equipment if Unit record equipment gives a summary of the information in an individual article. Guy Harris 22:17, 9 October 2006 (UTC)

The Category:Unit record equipment idea clearly fits here. A category groups related articles very well. I'm in favor of putting in [[Category:Unit record equipment]] and taking out {{Main|Unit record equipment}}. I don't think Template:SubArticle would work well in this context; it's meant for talk pages, not articles, and is only used by a couple of talk pages presently. -R. S. Shaw 23:42, 9 October 2006 (UTC)

• This seemed so sensible to me, I've been bold and gone ahead and created the category. I'll be editing pages into it tonight, I suppose. I think punch card probably doesn't belong, as it is not equipment. plug-board probably does, as it is part of the equipment. -R. S. Shaw 00:21, 10 October 2006 (UTC)

• punch card does belong - they are the glue that lets the machines work together. Note that punch card is restricted to Hollerith cards, etc, it is not all punch cards. (this is not to say I agree with using a category, only that if a category is used, then .... The problem with a category is that it is not make the set of articles explict to the reader)tooold 01:23, 10 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] UNIVAC 1005

Described on UNIVAC page as having a stored program and a programming language. If this is a unit record machine, then wouldn't the IBM 1401 also be a unit record machine? 69.106.232.37 20:45, 10 October 2006 (UTC)

I don't think so. I believe the 1005 still followed the unit record model, i.e. cards were the primary storage medium. I never used one, but my recollection was that the 1005 had very limited memory and no mass storage. It was more in the 407 class than a 1401. Here is one article i found via Google that discusses 1005 use in Vietnem: https://calldbp.leavenworth.army.mil/eng_mr/txts/VOL48/00000009/art8.pdf --agr 21:44, 10 October 2006 (UTC)

Information seems hard to come by on this and seemingly somewhat contradictory. The 1004 has a fair reference at [1], but the 1005 seems thinner. This says "the UNIVAC 1005 was a plugboard computer that you had to wire for each program" but this says "SAAL was my first real love affair: Single Address Assembler Language on a UNIVAC 1005". Supporting the latter is this: "developed a program written in IBM DOS/360 Assembly Language to automatically translate pro­grams from UNIVAC 1005 Assembly Language (SAAL) to IBM DOS/360 Assembly Language". So it does look programmable despite the first quote. Seems like a computer in a accounting-machine-like form, a close call. -R. S. Shaw 06:36, 11 October 2006 (UTC)

"Cards primary ..." would have been my definition, as well. But now I want to change my mind.

Found this site, [2], guy worked on a 1005 with about 4k memory, card read/punch, and printer. Reads just like a basic 1401.

From IBM Archives (note the "Unit Record Systems Programming"), [3], "On October 28, 1970, the company rolled out the IBM System/3 Model 6 (IBM 5406). Rochester's Advanced Unit Record Systems Programming group had developed the Report Programming Generator II programming language intended for commercial applications on the Model 6."

I think we should exclude digital computers, even if they only have card & printer capabilities, from unit record equipment. Many IBM 650 sites were card only, for example, and logically were unit record machines, but the 650 is not a machine I want to have included, no more that the 1005 or 1401. Anyone want to try writing a definition for the article? 69.106.232.37 07:05, 11 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] unclear sentence

This sentence from the 2nd paragraph needs clarification:

"The automatic operation of some unit record machines was directed by control panels, wired to directed the operation for a specific application."

1st attempt at rewrite. Ok? 69.106.232.37 23:53, 10 October 2006 (UTC)

Looks good, thanks!