Superimposed punching of numerical codes on hand‐sorted punch cards

Abstract

Both the users and processers of information–particularly in the realm of science and technology–have long been aware of the fact that the information in a patent, paper or similar document will be characterized by a variety of features, such as various entities (substances, devices, apparatus, etc.), their attributes, one or more processes or interactions, attendant circumstances and the results of interaction. The multidimensional nature of information has been the basis for successful application of sorting devices permitting information to be selected on the basis of any one feature or combination of features. (1) Experiments with newly developed IBM equipment, (2) have demonstrated that grouping concepts into arrays sometimes called abstraction ladders is a convenient method for making generic terminology available as a basis for conducting searches. The present paper outlines a punching system which would permit abstraction ladders to be coded for handsorted punched cards. The punching system is undergoing test at the present time. The results of these tests will be reported subsequently.

Digital libraries

“…The roots of present day digital libraries may be traced to the information retrieval systems of the 1960s and the hypertext systems of the 1980s. Digital libraries have evolved from the techniques and principles developed by early information retrieval researchers (Mooers, 1950; Perry, 1951; Taube & Associates, 1955). Automatic indexing and search systems were pioneered in the 1960s (Salton, 1968); and today's digital libraries build on the solid foundations of more than three decades of research in information retrieval.…”

Effects of Inconsistent Relevance Judgments on Information Retrieval Test Results: A Historical Perspective

“…From the very start of practical development of IR systems dating to the late 1940s, searching was based on Boolean logic (AND, OR, NOT), even though at the start "Boolean" was not mentioned by name and computing technology was yet to be used (Mooers, 1951;Perry, 1951). Shortly thereafter, coordinate indexing, developed by Mortimer Taube and colleagues at a company named Documentation Inc., was a direct outgrowth of these ideas and it took the IR world by storm; interestingly, Taube referred to coordinate indexing, following Bush, as "association of ideas" (Taube and Associates, 1955).…”