Peden was a wholesale distributor. I was hired as an operator trainee, promoted to operator, programmer trainee, applications programmer, systems programmer, and finally operations manager.
Among other projects I converted a IBM 360/30 DOS system to a IBM 370/125 DOS/VS system. As systems programmer, I installed DOS/VS on an IBM 370/125 and was responsible for all systems work.
I wrote a MOD-10 check digit routine in assembler which ran faster (on the IBM 360/30) than a single divide instruction. This was done because my manager felt that performing this calculation was a bottleneck. I wrote a set of programs that encapsulated the existing programs. They had the effect of increasing system reliability to the point that accounting used the data from the production run to compare against rather than comparing the data against their hand derived results. I wrote complete access methods for all disk drives, tape drives, printers, card readers, and card punches. This required operating system modification and i/o channel programs.
As operations manager I supervised 3 operators and 12 keypunchers and managed two shifts. Consequently my responsibilities at Peden included virtually every area in the data processing department.
While at Peden Iron and Steel, Inc. I learned a great deal about the data processing profession. I also learned COBOL, JCL and RPG/II.
All data processing was moved to a service bureau as a cost reduction.
360/370 assembler
COBOL
JCL
RPG II
IBM 360/30
IBM 370/125
DOS
DOS/VS