keypunching

Keypunching, also known as punch card operating, was a method of data entry where data was recorded by punching holes in a card or paper tape. Each punch represented a character or a digit. These punched cards were then fed into a card reader, which translated the hole patterns into machine-readable data.

Keypunching was a prevalent method for data input in the mid-20th century, before the widespread adoption of keyboards and direct data entry systems. Operators, often called keypunch operators, would use specialized machines called keypunches to transcribe information from source documents onto punch cards. These machines resembled typewriters, with a keyboard for input and a mechanism to punch holes in the cards. The accuracy of the operator was crucial, as errors could lead to incorrect data processing.

The process was labor-intensive and time-consuming. It required a significant workforce dedicated to data transcription. While effective for its time, keypunching became obsolete with the advent of more efficient and user-friendly technologies. The introduction of magnetic tape, floppy disks, and eventually computer keyboards with visual displays revolutionized data entry, rendering punch cards and keypunching largely historical artifacts of computing.