IBM and punch card storage
In 1928, IBM introduced a file storage format that almost doubled the amount of data that could be recorded on a card. The style consisted of rectangular hole 80 columns and by the mid 1930’s IBM predicted that there would soon be no such thing as a round hole card.
Interestingly, that format was still being used in the early 1990s for two reasons.
IBM had patented the rectangular format, which meant that their competitors could not use it and were only able to use the old less efficient method of file storage. The other reason is that Remington Rand, one of IBM main competitors, changed from Hollerith’s code to a six-bit code allowing 90 columns of text to be stored on the old 45 column card.
At that time, Iowa University was punching student name on cards but other universities were developing four-digit numeric encoding of names, which was most commonly used to avoid the cost of buying expensive alphanumeric machines.
Remington Rand bought UNIVAC and integrated their new card format with UNIVAC computers. In many ways the UNIVAC card code was better than IBM’s rectangular format. UNIVAC’s system was still be used at Macy’s department stores throughout the 1960s.
However, it was not only the retail sector that continued to use this system in the 60s, the New York City tax department, Long Island Lighting and the Polaris missile control were also still using the 90 column card system. In the mid-70s a UNIVAC system was seen at a naval weapons station
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