does any read punch cards anymore?

[Jay West]

Brad wrote....
> Remember punchcards?
Yes.

> Does anyone read them these days?
Yes.

> I'm just curious if anyone does, and if they do, how they do it.
I use a punch card reader.

> Someone approached me with some tapes to read and they also had 2 boxes
> of cards.
They should use a punch card reader to read them.

> I remember a nifty desktop card reader attached to a PDP-8/L once.  I
> never used it but it sure seems like it would be easy/fun to wire it up
> to something more modern.
Nah, wire it up to the original system it was designed for!

> Do small desktop card readers exist anymore?  Anyone got one?
Yes, on both counts :)

The documation readers are somewhat available nowdays, coming out of 
election use. I believe early HP's used the documation (never checked that 
myself). However, HP did actually produce a punch card reader, model 7261 or 
7621 I seem to recall. I have one, and it's not terribly far down my "to be 
restored" list. I actually used this same unit in high school on the HP2000, 
so it WILL get restored someday. Many fond memories of this unit. Hope I 
have enough spare bits to make it run again!

Jay West