Gearfuse Technology, Science, Culture & More
Want to find a like-minded love match in the 1960’s, but didn’t feel like spending your time sifting through the stoners at a Jimi Hendrix concert? I.B.M. has got you covered. By feeding some personal data into a super-sophisticated I.B.M. 1400 series computer (which was roughly the size of an entire room), you could receive a small card with the personal details of a potential mate. This amazing machine was called “TACT”, for Technical Automated Compatibility Testing. Sexy.
However, before finding out the name of your new beau, you had to complete a�questionnaire�of about 100 multiple choice questions. Topics ranged from homosexuality opinions, to thoughts on interracial marriage, to rating different hairstyles for attractiveness. By comparing your answers to the answers given by other “subscribers”, the computer would match you with someone that displayed similar interests.
Yeah, we’ve come a long way, haven’t we, internet dating?
