What Is a Paper Tape?
Paper tape is a medium utilized for data input, output, and storage in the early days of computing.
This medium is roughly 1 inch wide, crafted from paper, and features rows or multiple rows of small holes. These holes encode information in specific patterns, with the presence, absence, and arrangement of these holes representing characters, numbers, control commands, etc. Dedicated punching machines are employed to create these holes for recording information. For reading the information, the patterns of the holes are identified using either light sensors or mechanical sensors.
Benefits of paper tape include its lack of electrical components, high durability, the capability for long-term data retention, and affordability. However, its slow read/write speed renders it impractical for handling large volumes of data.