The microfilm page printer
Steve Brown · 1969
Magnetic tape microfilm recorders have been available in the market place for the past several years. It has been only within the last eight months or so that a general awareness of these devices has developed. Trade magazines and journals are now carrying features articles describing computer based, microfilm information systems. Investment houses are releasing surveys and market evaluations of this area. Talks on the economics and human engineering aspects of this approach are being presented at many technical conferences. Little, however, has been said about programming considerations for the preparation of the specially formatted magnetic tape required for the operation of these devices. The purpose of this paper, then, is to examine the flexibilities and capabilities of magnetic tape microfilming as viewed by the programmer, to discuss the software problems that he faces when attempting to use such a device and to describe several generalized solutions to these problems.