Path: csiph.com!weretis.net!feeder6.news.weretis.net!panix!.POSTED.panix5.panix.com!not-for-mail From: Rich Alderson Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers,comp.os.linux.misc Subject: Re: COBOL and tricks Followup-To: alt.folklore.computers Date: 31 Jul 2022 16:45:08 -0400 Organization: PANIX Public Access Internet and UNIX, NYC Lines: 43 Sender: alderson+news@panix5.panix.com Message-ID: References: <16ydncnktcv0sE__nZ2dnUU7-Q3NnZ2d@earthlink.com> <2044901849.680728052.410272.peter_flass-yahoo.com@news.eternal-september.org> <1382640670.680748665.725554.peter_flass-yahoo.com@news.eternal-september.org> <9MbFK.94034$Lx5.59462@fx02.iad> <9rOdnXLw9eVBSHj_nZ2dnUU7-TPNnZ2d@earthlink.com> Injection-Info: reader2.panix.com; posting-host="panix5.panix.com:166.84.1.5"; logging-data="12810"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@panix.com" X-Newsreader: Gnus v5.7/Emacs 22.3 Xref: csiph.com alt.folklore.computers:221558 comp.os.linux.misc:35320 "25B.Z959" <25B.Z959@nada.net> writes: > And the "single instruction" sets a whole BUNCH of > sub-instructions in motion, fetching/organizing/ > moving stuff in memory. Others have tried to explain this to you, but you don't want to listen. On the 1401, there were 3 areas of memory dedicated to card and print I/O. A READ instruction caused a single card to be input through the 1402 read/punch and the data values from the columns of the card to be placed into locations 1 through 80. I don't care if you want to faff around and think of the electromechanical and electronic manipulations going on as "programming"; they were not available to the actual code-writing programmer, who simply issued the READ instruction in her program. A PUNCH instruction caused the contents of locations 101 through 180 to be sent to the punch side of the 1402, with electronic and electromechanical manipulations to turn the internal six-bit BCD data into Hollerith codes on cards. None of those are available to the programmer. A PRINT instruction caused the contents of locations 201 through 332 to be sent to the 1403 printer, again with electronic and electromechanical manipulations of the BCD data to cause appropriate hammers to strike appropriate slugs on the print train as required. None of those are available to the programmer. And note that those locations are not changeable. The programmer cannot write code to print from locations 1269 through 1401 directly; if the desired output is located there, a MOVE instruction addressing locations 1401 as source and 332 as destination is required, after a SET WOR MARK instruction referencing location 1269 to that the MOVE will know where to stop. IT IS ALL HARDWARE LOGIC. Your insistence on calling hardware "programming" is simply silly. Just stop. -- Rich Alderson news@alderson.users.panix.com Audendum est, et veritas investiganda; quam etiamsi non assequamur, omnino tamen proprius, quam nunc sumus, ad eam perveniemus. --Galen