IBM 711
| Company type | Peripheral device |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer hardware |
| Founded | May 1952 |
| Products | Punched card reader |
| Parent | IBM |
The IBM 711 functioned as a punched card reader peripheral designed for IBM mainframe computers utilizing vacuum tube and early transistor technologies. Introduced in May 1952, it made its initial appearance alongside the IBM 701 and was subsequently employed with models such as the IBM 704, IBM 709, and the transistor-based IBM 7090 and 7094.
Overview
The card reading mechanism of the 711, adapted from the IBM 402, operated at a rate of 150 cards per minute, increasing to a maximum of 250 cards per minute when used with the IBM 7090. It included a control panel that permitted selection of any set of 72 columns out of the standard 80-column punched card format; however, it was commonly configured to read the first 72 columns. Cards were interpreted in binary form into two 36-bit words for each row, amounting to a total of 24 words per card, which allowed direct execution of object code by the computer. Conversion between character and numeric data was managed through software processes. This restriction to 72 columns influenced early programming languages such as Fortran and Cobol, which limited source code input to these columns.
Although effective, the IBM 711's speed was slower when compared to magnetic tape drives. Consequently, many setups incorporated the faster IBM 1401 system to perform offline tasks like card-to-tape and tape-to-printer transfers, reserving the IBM 711 mainly for loading operating systems and running diagnostics.
Similar devices including the IBM 712 and IBM 714 fulfilled comparable functions for the IBM 702 and IBM 705 computer systems.
- An IBM 711 is depicted processing cards within an IBM 7090 setup in the 2016 movie Hidden Figures.
See also
- IBM 716 line printer
- List of IBM products