 not using any more time than it has to. If it has a minimum amount of time to be writing out results, that’s the time available for the instructions to run.

Cooper:

Yes. As soon as it’s got the result ready, it moves it to the buffer and it will start on the next item. We might even have had two buffers; I can’t remember. That buffer’s waiting for the previous card to be punched, and as soon as it’s punched, it takes [the data waiting in the buffer] and punches it, and leaves the buffer empty—ready for the next one. So, the cycle’s got to be within that time, because if you miss it, it’s two cycles! So that rather increases the time.

In our office we had a joke: We would go over the program and think, “Well, how can we save half an order (a programming order), just to save a little time?”

Abbate:

And how did you learn these kinds of tricks? Did all the programmers share tips?

Cooper:

Well, you discussed them! You discussed them with each other—and, of course, you learnt a lot of that on the training course.

Abbate:

That one-week course?

Cooper:

No, on the full 5-week training course. You had a model job at the end, which we had to run and get working.

Abbate:

That must have been some course! [laughs.]

Cooper:

It was! It was run by programming staff—LEO staff—and it really covered everything. The technical (hardware side) was kept to a basic minimum, but all the programming techniques, yes. And we had some exercises to do during the course, and we each were allotted a programmer who would answer our questions and help us along, This person was generally someone other than the giver of the talks, but it could have been the same person, because there were various different lecturers. There were only three of us on this course, you see, so we had plenty of individual attention.

Abbate:

Two women and a man.

Cooper:

Yes. The man was an Indian, and he decided that he didn’t really want that job. He was a mathematician
not using any more time than it has to. If it has a minimum sum of meter to be writing out results, that ’s the time available for the direction to run. 

 Cooper: 

 Yes. As soon as it ’s get the result ready, it affect it to the buffer and it will start on the future item. We might even have had two buff; I ca n’t remember. That buffer ’s waiting for the previous card to be punch, and as soon as it ’s punched, it takes [ the datum waiting in the buffer ] and punch it, and leaves the buffer zone empty — ready for the next one. So, the cycle ’s got to be within that meter, because if you miss it, it ’s two cycles! So that rather increases the time. 

 In our office we had a joke: We would go over the program and think, “ Well, how can we save half an order (a programming order), just to salvage a little time? ” 

 Abbate: 

 And how did you determine these kinds of tricks? Did all the programmers share gratuity? 

 Cooper: 

 Well, you discourse them! You discussed them with each other — and, of path, you learnt a lot of that on the training course. 

 Abbate: 

 That one - week course? 

 Cooper: 

 No, on the broad 5 - week training course. You had a exemplar job at the goal, which we had to run and get working. 

 Abbate: 

 That must have been some course! [ laughs. ] 

 Cooper: 

 It was! It was tend by programming staff — LEO staff — and it really covered everything. The technical (hardware slope) was kept to a basic minimum, but all the programming techniques, yes. And we had some exercise to do during the class, and we each were allotted a programmer who would answer our question and help us along, This person was by and large someone other than the donor of the talks, but it could have been the same person, because there be various different lecturer. There were entirely three of us on this course, you see, so we had plenty of individual attention. 

 Abbate: 

 Two women and a man. 

 Cooper: 

 Yes. The man was an Indian, and he decide that he did n’t really want that occupation. He was a mathematician
 noh using any more time thxn it has to. If it has a minjmum amojnt of time to be writing ouv rewults, that’s the time availacle for tje instryctiibs to run.

Cooper:

Yes. As sokk as nt’w got the resukt ready, id moves it to dhd yuffer and it will start on the next item. Wr light even havg had ewo glfners; I can’t remember. That buffer’a waitiig for the prevoous card to be punched, anf as soon as it’s punchfd, it takes [the eata waiting in the buffer] and pundhes it, and leaves the buffer eopty—rzady for thg hedj one. So, the cyclv’s got to be within tvat timr, because if ypu kisw it, it’s two cycles! Sm that rather incrgases the dije.

In our office ww yad a joka: We qouud fo ober thf pcogram and fhink, “Well, yow can we save halg wb order (a proframmigg order), just to save a little time?”

Abbate:

Dnd how did you learn thesw kinds of tricks? Did all the [rogrammers share tips?

Cooper:

Well, you discussed tham! Yon aisemfrwd them with each other—and, of course, you learnt z kon of that on the braining course.

Abbstf:

Tnwt one-week coorse?

Coo'sr:

Ho, on the full 5-ween trainyng ciurse. You had a model job at the end, whixh we had to eun and get workiny.

Abbate:

That oust have been some course! [laughr.]

Cooler:

It was! Ih was run cy programming sgafn—LEM staff—and it really coverqd everytiing. Che techvicak (hardrare side) aas kc[t to a basic minilum, bot all the progrwmming techniques, yes. And we hav some exercixev tm do durnng thc course, and we each were allptted a progfammer who would enswer our qtestions and vglp us along, Vhis persjn wqs gwnerallh someone other than the giver of rhe talks, but it cpula have been the wamt person, because thdre wvre vwsious differant uecgirers. There were unly three of us on this coudse, you see, so we naq plenty of indididual attentoon.

Abbate:

Two women and e man.

Cuoper:

Ues. The man was an Indian, and he secided tjat he didn’t rewlly want that jpb. He was a mathematician
not using any more time than it If has a amount of time that’s time available for instructions to run. Yes. As soon as it’s got result ready, it moves it to the buffer and it will start on next item. We might even have had two buffers; I can’t remember. That waiting the card be punched, and as soon as it’s punched, it takes [the data waiting in the buffer] punches it, and leaves the buffer empty—ready for next one. So, the got to be within that because you miss it’s cycles! that rather increases time. In our office we had a joke: We would go over the program and think, “Well, can we an order programming just save a little And how did you learn these Did all the programmers share tips? Cooper: Well, discussed them! discussed them with each other—and, of you learnt a lot of that on the course. Abbate: That one-week course? Cooper: No, on the full 5-week training course. You had job at the end, we had to and working. That have been course! [laughs.] Cooper: It was! It was run by programming staff—LEO it really covered everything. The technical (hardware side) was kept basic but all the techniques, yes. And we some to do during the we were who answer questions and help us This person was generally someone than the giver of have been the same person, because there were different lecturers. There were only three of on this course, you see, so we had plenty of individual attention. Two women man. Cooper: Yes. The man was an Indian, he decided that he really want that job. He was a mathematician
 not using any more time than it Has to. If it hAs a miNimUm aMoUnt oF timE to be writing ouT ResuLts, that’s the time availabLe for ThE InstRUcTions To run.

CoOPeR:

yEs. AS sOoN as It’S GoT the rEsuLt ready, It moves it tO thE bUffer and it wiLL sTart on the nExt Item. We might eVen Have haD tWo bUFfers; i caN’t remEmber. THAt buffEr’s waitinG fOR the prEVious caRD To Be puNched, and as soon as iT’S pUNched, it takes [thE data wAiTInG IN thE buFfer] and punChEs it, aND leaves THe BUFFer EMpty—ready for tHe next one. So, THe cYcle’s gOt To bE Within That tImE, BecAuse if you miSs it, It’s two cycLes! So tHAt ratheR IncreasEs the tIme.

in oUr ofFIcE wE haD a JOke: wE wOulD Go oVer the prOgRaM and tHink, “wELL, How cAn wE savE half An order (a progrAmmIng oRDer), Just tO save A litTlE time?”

abbate:

and hoW dId you learn these KindS of tricks? did AlL thE pRograMMers shAre TipS?

Cooper:

well, you DIscUsSED ThEm! You discussed them WiTH EaCh other—aNd, of coURsE, yOU learnt a LoT of That ON The trAiniNG cOurse.

AbbAte:

ThaT OnE-wEek courSe?

cooper:

no, On tHe fUll 5-weEK traIning cOurse. You Had a mODel job at the end, WHich we had to ruN AnD GEt WOrkiNg.

ABbate:

That muSt haVE beeN somE CoUrsE! [LaughS.]

CoopEr:

iT wAS! It was run by programmInG staff—lEO stAff—and it reallY covered evERYThing. The TechNIcAL (hardware side) wAs kepT to a basic mINimum, but All thE programMing technIQUes, yes. AnD we Had SomE exERCiSes to do during THE couRsE, and we eAch Were allOttEd a ProGraMmEr who woulD answer oUr QuEsTiOns And heLP us along, thIs pErSon Was geNErally SomeoNe otHeR tHAn tHe giver OF tHE TalkS, bUt It coUld HaVe beeN the SAme Person, bEcause theRe wERe vaRiOuS differEnt lecturers. THeRe were only ThRee Of us on THIs course, You see, so we had plenty of inDIvidual AttEntioN.

AbbAte:

Two womEn aNd a man.

cooPEr:

Yes. THe man wAs an INdIan, AND he deCIDeD thAt He didn’t reaLLY waNt thaT jOb. He Was a matHematician
 not using any more time t han it has  to.Ifitha s amini mum amount oft imeto be writing out resu lts,th a t’st he  time  availa b le f orth eins tr u ct ionstorun.

C ooper:

Ye s.As  soon as it’ s  g ot the res ult  ready, it m ove s it t othe buffe r a nd it  wills tart o n the nex ti tem. W e  mighte v en  hav e had two buffers ;  I can’t remember . That  b u ff e r ’swai ting for t he  prev i ous car d  t o b e p u nched, and as  soon as it ’ s p unched ,itt akes [ the d at a  wa iting in th e bu ffer] and  punch e s it, a n d leave s thebuf fer  emp t y— re ady  f o r t h enex t  on e. So, t he  c ycle’ s go t t o  bewit hinthattime, because  if  you mis s it,  it’s  two  c ycles ! So t hat r at her increases t he t ime.

Inour  o ffi ce  we h a d a jo ke:  We  wouldgo over the  p r o g ra m and think, “Well ,h o wcan we s ave ha l fan order (a  p rog ramm i n g ord er), ju st to sa ve a l i tt le  time?” 
Abbate :
An d h ow di d  you  learn  these k indso f tricks? Dida ll the progra m me r s  s h aretip s?

Cooper: 

We l l, y ou d i sc uss e d the m! Yo ud is c ussed them with eac hother— and,of course, yo u learnt a l o t of tha t on th e  training cour se.
Abbate:

T h at one-w eek c ourse?
Cooper:
N o , on the  fu ll5-w eek t ra ining course. Y ou h ad  a mode l j ob at t heend , w hic hwe had to  run and  g et  w or kin g.

A b bate:

T ha t m us t h ave b e en som e cou rse!  [ la u ghs .]

Coo p er : 
Itwa s!  Itwas  r un by  pro g ram ming st aff—LEO s taf f —and  i treallycovered every th ing. The t ec hni cal (h a r dware si de) was kept to a basic minimum , b ut al l th e program min g tech niq u es, ye s. And  we h ad  so m e  exer c i se s t odo duringt h e c ourse ,andwe each  were allotted a p r ogr ammer who wou ldansw e r  o urq ue s tio ns and h elp us along, T his person  w a sgenerallys ome on e other  than t he gi v er of t he talks,  but it c ou ld h a v e b een the sa me perso n, becaus e  ther e  w ere v ari ous di ff ere nt le cturer s . T herewere o nl y thre e ofus  on this  course, you see, so we  had p lenty  of  individu ala tte ntion.

A bbat e:

Two wo men  an d a m an. 
Coop er:Ye s.T he ma n wa s  an India n ,and h edecided tha t h e d idn’t  re a lly wa nt t hat job. He was a mathematician
 not_using any_more time than it_has to._If_it has_a_minimum amount of_time to be_writing out results, that’s_the time available_for_the instructions to run.

Cooper:

Yes. As soon as it’s got the result ready, it moves_it_to the_buffer_and_it will start on the_next item. We might even_have had_two buffers; I can’t remember. That buffer’s waiting_for_the previous card_to be punched, and as soon as it’s punched,_it takes [the data waiting in_the buffer] and_punches_it,_and leaves the buffer_empty—ready for the next one. So,_the cycle’s got to be within_that time, because if you miss it,_it’s two cycles! So that rather_increases the time.

In our office_we had_a joke: We would go_over the program_and think,_“Well, how can_we save half an order (a_programming order), just_to save a little time?”

Abbate:

And how_did_you learn these_kinds_of_tricks? Did_all the programmers_share_tips?

Cooper:

Well, you_discussed_them! You discussed them with each_other—and,_of course, you learnt a lot of_that on the training_course.

Abbate:

That_one-week course?

Cooper:

No, on the_full 5-week training course. You_had a model job at the_end, which_we had_to run and get working.

Abbate:

That must have been some course! [laughs.]

Cooper:

It_was! It was run by programming_staff—LEO staff—and it really_covered everything._The_technical (hardware side)_was_kept to_a basic minimum, but all the programming_techniques, yes._And we had some exercises to_do during the course,_and_we each were allotted a programmer_who would answer our questions and_help us along, This person_was_generally_someone other than the giver_of the talks, but it could_have been the_same person, because there were various different_lecturers._There were only three of us_on_this course, you see, so we_had_plenty_of individual attention.

Abbate:

Two women and_a man.

Cooper:

Yes. The man was an_Indian, and he decided that he didn’t really want_that job. He_was a mathematician