>Fortunate? You haven't lived if you haven't experienced the thrill of watching your program being sucked through the card reader, card by card, at lightning speed. Of course, one of the card readers had to be working...

I've had punched cards on the college. There was one word of precaution when you entered the room there: watch your ballpoint pen, or better hide it somewhere. The technicians there simply pulled it out of your pocket and took out the spring - they needed them badly to keep the card punch working...