It makes my head spin thinking that code used to be written to and compiled from a physical medium. I feel lucky being a programmer in a time where software compilers allow code to be written and refactored with relatively minimal effort.
I'm curious; does anybody know how they debug code that was written on punchards?
my programming teacher said she had to use this once.. really interesting stuff..
I've heard about this from people I work with and some of my old teachers. It's really interesting to see how this works, as I was always curious about this.
Never had the foggiest. Physical programming, badass.
[QUOTE=kidwithsword;41932144]It makes my head spin thinking that code used to be written to and compiled from a physical medium. I feel lucky being a programmer in a time where software compilers allow code to be written and refactored with relatively minimal effort.
I'm curious; does anybody know how they debug code that was written on punchards?[/QUOTE]
At that time, if your code didn't work you had the delightful job of carefully double, triple and quadruple checking every single hole on your punchcards to make sure you hadn't messed any up, if you had then you threw out that card and re-did it correctly.
As for debugging logical errors (as opposed to syntax errors), well, that was just a case of knowing exactly what you are doing at all times and being able to spot those errors before you make them.
Considering that programs would be usually left running overnight (the larger ones anyway), an error would mean an entire night of execution was completely wasted.
I've wanted a punch-card computer for years, doesn't have to be a mechanical or and old machine just something that punches out such cards and reads them.
Aw, i was really hoping they had an old mainframe to use it with
Watching this reminds me I have a box of cards that got slightly jumbled so there's a few stacks that are mixed and need to be reorganized.
Christ, I thought MIPS Assembly was a pain in the ass. I got it easy.
My grandfather talked to me once about someone he worked with back in the 70's who dropped a box full of them. Luckily they were labeled, but it was probably still a nightmare to deal with.
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