Summary

Paper tape, part of a collection of paper tape programs and sub-routines used for input to CSIRAC. This program was used in demonstrations on open days and to VIPs. The program produced a punch output.

CSIRAC was used to calculate tables of loan repayments. This capability was used to calculate housing loans for University staff and also as a demonstration of the power of the computer during open days and to visitors. The program genberated a new line of printing for each quarter of the loan showing the amount allocated to the interest and the amount allocated to the porinciple and the balance remaining. At the end of the loan period (typically 25 years), the program printed the total amount repaid and the amount applied to the interest repayment. Initially, the table was printed on the console teleprinter. After 5 channel paper tape equipment had been added, the output was punched on 5 hole paper tape on a flexowriter. However, the console typewriter was still used when the program was used for demonstration purposes.

The collection includes the original University of Melbourne Computation Laboratory Paper Tape Library of 12 hole tapes of subroutines and programs, and program and data tapes from staff and outside users.
Most of the paper tapes were 12-track punched paper tapes. 5 hole paper tapes were used primarily for data input and output rather than program input. However, 5 hole program tapes could be produced by using Interprogram, an English language programming system rather than using machine language.

Each tape has a 'T' number. The Computation Laboratory Paper Tape Library consisted of tapes with a tape number less than 700. There were not 700 tapes but the number 700 was arbitrarily chosen to separate the Computation Laboratory Library tapes from user tapes.

Details of this tape:
16. Demonstration
Further information may be found in the headers of either the .CVT or .TSP files.

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