"Simpkins, Terry" wrote:

> I can still remember seeing a full box of cards dropped on the
> mall at Purdue on cold WINDY day in January (early 70's), and the
> primal scream emitted from the person who dropped them.

Before UTC started online registration on the 3000 (Spring 77), we
did batch registration "cafeteria style" on old IBM 360.  You punch
out appointment cards for students with their ID number and mail them
out early.  Then for each course/section, punch one card for each
available "seat" in the class.  These are laid out on tables by
department in the gym.  Student walks around and picks up the classes
he wants (assuming there are cards left).  On the way out, they hand
their selections to the attendant who insures the ID is on top and
followed by their class cards, and they get put into big long card
filing trays (about 4' long).  These are then fed into a batch program
that reads them and updates the student files.

Well, one day when walking up the hill from the gym to deliver a full
tray to the computer center for processing...

Now THAT was a primal scream.

Jeff Kell <[log in to unmask]>