Punched Program Tape

Punched program tape, also known as punched tape or perforated tape, is a form of data storage used in early computer systems. It consists of a long strip of paper or plastic tape with holes punched into it to represent binary data.

Punched program tape was commonly used in the mid-20th century to input and store computer programs and data. The holes in the tape were read by a device called a tape reader, which would interpret the presence or absence of a hole as a binary 1 or 0.

Programs and data were typically encoded onto the tape using a combination of holes and non-holes, representing different characters or instructions. The tape could be rewound and reused, allowing for the storage and retrieval of multiple programs.

Punched program tape was eventually replaced by other forms of data storage, such as magnetic tape and disk drives, which offered greater capacity and faster access times. However, punched tape played a significant role in the early days of computing and is still used in some specialized applications today.