Though it is many decades since paper tape was commonly used as a data input or storage medium, it still holds a fascination for many who work with computers. Over the years we’ve featured more ...

Q: I receive a number of packages wrapped in paper but the paper is covered with tape. I wonder if all the tape degrades the paper because of all the plastic content. Is it worth recycling them?

The obvious choice is to make a (punched) paper tape reader, but how does one go about this, and what options exist here? With a few historical examples as reference and the tape reader on the ...