operating system, history (SPOOL) Accessing
peripheral In the early days of computing (early 1960s), before
run only one job at a time. As peripheral devices such as
devoting the computer (the only computer in many cases) to
controlling such devices was impractical.
To free the CPU for useful work, the output was sent to a
and much cheaper than a computer. After the job was finished
the tape was removed from the tape drive attached to the
computer and mounted on a tape drive connected to a printer
(such as the
IBM 1403). The printer could then print the
data without holding up the computer. Similarly, instead of
inputting the program from the card reader it was first copied
to a tape and the tape was read by the computer.
(1999-01-12)