Talk:Plugboard

Plugboard is also the name for free web promotion sites, when you plug in your 468x60 banner ad or other standard sizes such as 88x31, 80x15 120x90, 120x240, 234x60, etc. Could someone start up a disambiguation page for this please? If you do, I will expand it from there. This probably should have been done YEARS ago, but better late than never.

Thanks!

The claim here that the plugboard on the Enigma cipher machine did not improve security is contradicted by statements about the plugboard on the Enigma page. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.189.29.61 (talk) 04:13, 24 October 2011 (UTC)

Wiring control panels

Neat, very nice, but needs a 2nd pass:

1. -"Cycles were divided into points" - "points" is CE talk I suspect, nowhere accessible in books or IBM user manuals. If not used in IBM user manuals, likely not necessary here.
2. -"On most machines, cards were fed face down, 9-edge first." Ummm, the reproducers (514...) and interpreters (552 ...) were 12 edge 1st so even if correct on an absolute count, the assertion "most" is misleading.
3. - 0-9 digit time, 11-12 zone time terminology is not supported by IBM user manual timing charts. The 402, 407 manuals make no reference. The reproducers (that I checked) used only digit-time, and it wasn't 0-9, or even 12-9, but 14-9 because of mark sensing.
4. - "functional groupings" This terminology conflicts with the 402, 407 manuals use of "functional cycle"
5. - pulse -> impulse (consistent with IBM manuals. You've used both and, if both remain, the reader will need some help in understanding the difference.
6. - "Zone impulses and digit impulses were combined " They can't be combined as they exist at different times. The reader here needs some help. Maybe something like "Alphabetic ... was transmitted by two impulses ..."?
7. - "The control panel for each machine type presented exit (output) and entry (input) hubs in logical groupings" Change "groupings" to "arrangements", for example, as "group" is used for group control
8. - "counters to be combined". My recollection is that counters were coupled.
9. - "Emitters were sets of 12 exit hubs" Emitters is a general term, there are many emitters. 402 called these "Digit Impulse", 407 Character emitter.
10. - "Print entries, one hub for each print position. Impulses to these entries controlled the motion of print bars or wheels to place the correct type element under the print hammers" This description is a bit too specific to apply to a 407.

69.106.236.191 (talk) 09:15, 27 December 2011 (UTC) (copied from agr talk page --agr (talk) 15:25, 28 December 2011 (UTC) )

Thanks for the thoughtful comments. I'd say 2nd, 3rd, 4th ... passes are always a good idea. I've incorporated many of your suggestions. The terminology I have used follows "IBM Punched Card Data Processing Equipment: Functional Wiring Principles". You'll find a link to an online copy in the article references. It uses "points" and "emitter" they way I have used them here. I think it's important to keep the article accessible to modern readers, even if that occasionally deviates from IBM usage. In that regard, I do think references to "control panel" in other articles about unit record equipment can be qualified with the word "plugboard", as control panel has such a different meaning today.--agr (talk) 18:48, 28 December 2011 (UTC)

Also could you say a bit more about item 10? I'm not sure what you mean.--

agr (talk) 13:21, 29 December 2011 (UTC)

The article should at least mention analog computers. They too were programmed with plugboards. For example http://www.vaxman.de/my_machines/dornier/do80/do80_isf_front.jpg Anorlunda (talk) 16:17, 10 February 2017 (UTC)