The programming of punched card machines was usually done
by plugboards. The operation of the machine was controlled by connecting
wires on plugboard. E.g. the location of the information fields on the card
that were desired to be summed up and the location where the
result should be perforated on the card.
Plugboards were usually different and their size was different on
different types of machines. Plugboards were fixed for each machine for
recurring tasks or dismountable and re-connectable for temporary tasks.
Some persons showed up to be real masters on programming these plugboards.
They were able to perform quite complicated and amazing tasks on punched
card machines just by connecting these wires.
Plugboard for Tabulator IBM 444
Plugboard for IBM 609 Calculator
This program has been used to perform tax deduction calculations.
Plugboard for IBM 519
This program has been used for recognizing Mark Sensing lines from payment
cards.
Plugboard for IBM 513
"Total Disaster".
Each column and perforation is copied from one stack of cards to another.
Plugboard for IBM 513
This program was used to copy perforations from first card to all
following cards on stack.
Plugboard for IBM 519
This is a fixed plugboard from the backside. Silver coated connecting
parts can be seen in the picture.
