[LINK] Re: to USB

[Carl Makin]

On 06/12/2006, at 1:48 PM, Karl Auer wrote:

> Chain line printers, a variant on disk line printers: Each character
.
.
> Compile errors in my COBOL were followed by a line of asterisks in the
> printout. You didn't have to look at the printout to know if you had
> errors, you could hear the "whump" from across the room.

My first IT job was as a Computer Operator for Dept. Health.  We had  
an IBM 3211 band printer which had removable print train which was a  
thin band of metal with the characters embossed on the front that  
spun at high speed.  There was an individual hammer for every  
character position across the page which was basically the size of an  
A3 page and it would spit out 2000 lines per minute.  It was used to  
print reports on 3-part paper, ie 3 sheets of paper sandwiched with  
carbon paper.  There is no other way to describe it, but it "sang".   
When it was in full flight we could monitor it by ear from two rooms  
away.

Carl.
(When double-checking the print speed I found http://www-03.ibm.com/ 
ibm/history/exhibits/mainframe/mainframe_PR370.html which has prices  
in US$ for an IBM370 mainframe with a massive 1MB RAM in 1970. :)