golf-ball printer n. obs.
The IBM 2741, a slow but
letter-quality printing device and terminal based on the IBM
Selectric typewriter. The `golf ball' was a little spherical
frob bearing reversed embossed images of 88 different characters
arranged on four parallels of latitude; one could change the font
by swapping in a different golf ball. The print element spun and
jerked alarmingly in action and when in motion was sometimes
described as an `infuriated golf ball'. This was the technology
that enabled APL to use a non-EBCDIC, non-ASCII, and in fact
completely non-standard character set. This put it 10 years ahead
of its time -- where it stayed, firmly rooted, for the next 20,
until character displays gave way to programmable bit-mapped
devices with the flexibility to support other character sets.
The IBM 2741, a slow but
letter-quality printing device and terminal based on the IBM
Selectric typewriter. The `golf ball' was a little spherical
frob bearing reversed embossed images of 88 different characters
arranged on four parallels of latitude; one could change the font
by swapping in a different golf ball. The print element spun and
jerked alarmingly in action and when in motion was sometimes
described as an `infuriated golf ball'. This was the technology
that enabled APL to use a non-EBCDIC, non-ASCII, and in fact
completely non-standard character set. This put it 10 years ahead
of its time -- where it stayed, firmly rooted, for the next 20,
until character displays gave way to programmable bit-mapped
devices with the flexibility to support other character sets.
Related:
- golf-ball printer: n. The IBM 2741, a slow but letter-quality
printing device and terminal based on the IBM Selectric
typewriter.
The `golf ball' was a little spherical frob bearing... - bit-paired keyboard n.,obs.
(alt. `bit-shift
keyboard') A non-standard keyboard layout that seems to have
originated with the Teletype ASR-33 and remained common for several
years on early computer equipment.
The ASR-33 was a mechanical device (see EOU), so... - One of the quickest ways to meet new people is
to
pick up the wrong golf ball on a golf course... - ESB Eject Selectric Ball [from IBM
typewriter... - Golf Tip: To get more distance,
simply smack the ball & run backwards... - EBCDIC /eb's*-dik/, /eb'see`dik/, or /eb'k*-dik/ n.
[abbreviation, Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange... - EBCDIC:: /eb's*-dik/, /eb'see`dik/, or /eb'k*-dik/ [abbreviation,
Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code] n.... - One of the advantages of bowling over golf is that you seldom lose a
bowling ball.
- Don... - line starve: [MIT] 1. vi. To feed paper through a printer the
wrong way by one line (most printers can't do this).
On a display terminal, to move the cursor up to...
From the same category:
- wall time n.
(also `wall clock time') 1. `Real world'
time (what the clock on the wall shows),
as opposed to the system clock's idea of time. ... - within delta of adj.
See delta... - hysterical reasons n.
(also `hysterical raisins') A
variant on the stock phrase "for historical reasons",
indicating specifically that something must be done... - baroque adj.
[common] Feature-encrusted; complex;
gaudy; verging on excessive. Said of hardware or (esp... - gorilla arm n.
The side-effect that destroyed touch-screens
as a mainstream input technology despite a promising start in the
early 1980s.
It seems the designers of all those spiffy ...
