I have here an
authentic IBM flowcharting template Part No. GX20-8020-2. I
node this
information for
posterity so that
future generations may be able to
decypher those
arcane symbols stored in our massive 20th century archives...
The symbols on this envelope and the enclosed template conform to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) International Standard 1028 - "Information Processing-Flowchart Symbols", and American National Standard, Flowchart Symbols and Their Usage in Information Processing, ANSI X3.5-1970. IBM usages beyond the above standards are these three symbols: off-page connector, transmittal tape, and keying, which are identified IBM.
- PROCESS a rectangle
- INPUT/OUTPUT a right-slanted parallelogram
- DOCUMENT a rectangle whose bottom is wavy
- MANUAL OPERATION a v-shaped parallelogram, wide top narrow bottom
- COMMUNICATION LINK a zigzag shaped line
- PREPARATION a widened hexagon
- MERGE an equilateral triangle pointing down
- EXTRACT an equilateral triangle pointing up
- SORT a diamond shape (MERGE and EXTRACT glued together)
- DECISION, flagship shape of flowcharting, sideways diamond
- CONNECTOR a small circle
- MAGNETIC TAPE a large circle, with a bit of tape trailing from below
- DISPLAY undescribable shape, looks somewhat like a CRT tube
- AUXILIARY OPERATION a square
- ARROWHEADS pointing in the four cardinal directions
- MANUAL INPUT a left-slanted parallelogram, shorter on left, taller on right
- TERMINAL,INTERRUPT a hockey rink-shaped oval
- PUNCHED CARD a rectangle with the top left corner snipped off
- PUNCHED TAPE a parallelogram with wavy top and bottom
- ONLINE STORAGE a parallelogram with sides curved, convex on left concave on right
- KEYING a parallelogram with both sides convex curved (IBM proprietary)
- TRANSMITTAL TAPE an upright rectangle with a curved bottom, resembling a cash register receipt (IBM proprietary)
- OFFPAGE CONNECTOR a pentagon, shaped like an upside down house (IBM proprietary)
Measurement: Top edge has two 4
inches rulers, one measured in eights another in tenths of inches. Left side has a 9cm
metric ruler. The bottom has two rulers of twelveths and fifteenth of inches.
The right edge of the
plastic template includes a
stencil to facilitate drawing the { and } symbols.