alt Hacker NewsFortran (before 90) ignored characters after column 72 because the IBM 704 had a 36-bit word and read each row of a card into two words. (The card reader could be wired with a plugboard to select any 72 of 80 columns from the card.)
Fortran (before 90) ignored characters after column 72 because the IBM 704 had a 36-bit word and read each row of a card into two words. (The card reader could be wired with a plugboard to select any 72 of 80 columns from the card.)