Punch Cards

I used punched cards at the University of New Hampshire where I was allowed to take a few C.S. classes as a high school student. My best punch card story involves making nitrogen triiodide for the first time and making way too much of it. Luckily, it was impure for the same reason we made too much: because it was pre-internet and we had no idea what we were doing. Tiny pieces were making considerable popping noises, which made me kind of terrified of the large chunk that was sitting there … drying.

I delicately slipped a punch card under the nugget and was very slowly and cautiously walking to the exit, but before I could get there, a friend of mine, who knew what was going on, came over and struck my elbow, thus jiggling the card. KABOOM! In addition to the noise, a huge cloud of purple was released. It startled about half a dozen people who were in an adjacent room working. They didn't know what was going on, but they did have line of sight to the billowed aftermath.