On 2019-08-14 01:24 PM, Christopher Browne via talk wrote:
> Oh, the good times of doing matrix calculations in Grade 12 "Computer
> Science"...
Back in my Gr 12 computer programming class, we learned Fortran and used
pencil mark cards for our programs. The teacher would then take our
cards down to the board office, to compile them. As long as they
compiled, they were OK. They could have been complete garbage programs,
but as long as they compiled... ;-)
We did something like that in Gr 11, only the mark cards produced some form
of mainframe-based BASIC code. We put the decks into a box, similar story...
It was somewhat sensitive to quality of pencil marks, and an insufficiently
darkened cell would turn out badly for the program :-(. When one fellow in
the class was enough of an entitled twit (has anyone ever gained anything
from telling the class how high their IQ was???) his decks got occasionally
defaced, or cards swapped.