Remember when these were common?
Cards from the mid-60s
I found these finely preserved specimens as I went through some old documentation in my Dad’s house. They were with the warranty papers from a gas range installed as part of a kitchen remodel in the mid-60s.
The range had a pair of small vents over the pilot jets. The tiny chrome covers stood out from the enameled surface like perfect jewels, just begging to be touched, irresistible. As a kid I’d sometimes briefly touch one, just because, even though I knew better.
When I was clearing out Dad’s house I smiled as I briefly touched the no-longer-perfect metal. I still knew better and it was still hotter than hell and the result was quite predictable.
Not long after, I had the gas service to the property shut off.
I don’t recall warranty punch-cards, but I certainly remember punch cards. Notepaper? BAH! Pocketful of blank punch cards.
When I go, bury me face down, 9-edge first!
9-edge first! Damn, I feel really old now!
Well, y’know, this sort of thing lasted well into the mid-70s, and beyond for some companies that were slow on the uptake. Why, I can recall working at one place in the mid-70s that still had mechanical calculators in use. Some didn’t even have a motor, you pulled the handle on the side. Anyway, I showed these cards to my kid (almost 17 now) and he was, like, ‘WTF are those?”