what were computers like in the 1960s?

Answer 1

As big as the room you're sitting in.

Answer 2

They actually varied in size a lot, though almost all were much larger than the computers we see today. One of the major advances of the space program was the ability to make computers smaller. Most computers used either paper tape, punched cards, or magnetic tape for storage until better methods (like the floppy disk) were developed in the 1970s. Companies that used computers in their businesses (like insurance companies) would literally have skyscrapers full of floor after floor of archived magnetic tape reels or files of cards on which their records were stored. The actual memory consisted of either vacuum tubes (which were starting to disappear from electronics in the '60s) or transistors (which were smaller and produced less heat when running). Most computers used teletype machines for input and output. These were machines the size of a desk with a keyboard composed of large round keys. Pressing the keys would input commands into the computer, and the results were printed on an impact printer that was part of the teletype machine. Input had to be done through a formal programming language such as Fortran or COBOL. Memory on these computers was very limited. The computer aboard the Apollo spaceship that went to the moon had less memory than today's graphing calculators. Because of that, efficiency was important. Programs were designed to do things in the most efficient way possible so that the best use could be made of the limited memory. Finally, this was long before the days of the internet. All computers were separate; they did not run together, and data could not be transferred from one to another without outside storage media (like punched cards or magnetic tape).

Answer 3

I worked in the offices of a steel company in the 1960's and they had a new IBM 360 mainframe installed. It took up two huge rooms on the ground floor.

Answer 4

In the late 60's and early 70's I worked for Readers Digest in the UK - which prided itself on having up-to-the-minute 'technology'.
Its 'computer' - which really handled only customer addresses and basic billing - was about the size of a football pitch, and input was via punched tape. Hundreds of staff worked at maintaining it, and inputting data.
I also vividly remember the 'new', state-of-the-art electronic, calculators in the early 1970's - just 30 years ago - early ones of which were then double the size of a shoebox !!!

Answer 5

Like a huge room. Carried a TON of electricity! They were so new to people, that there were VERY FEW of them in existence. Then, people got used to them, and more were made. Good Luck!
Oklahoma

Answer 6

This page has pictures and appropriate description of the computers at that time, so I thought it is best that you check it out yourself. Goodluck!

http://library.thinkquest.org/18268/History/hist_c_60s.htm

Answer 7

Very big and had very little memory in todays standards

Answer 8

For most people they were typewriters.

Answer 9

huge, as big as a room, and they had no memory.

Answer 10

have a look here http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=1028