from
Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003)
green card
n.
[after the IBM System/360 Reference Data card] A summary of an
assembly language, even if the color is not green and not a card. Less
frequently used now because of the decrease in the use of assembly
language. "I'll go get my green card so I can check the addressing
mode for that instruction."
The original green card became a yellow card when the System/370 was
introduced, and later a yellow booklet. An anecdote from IBM refers to
a scene that took place in a programmers' terminal room at Yorktown in
1978. A {luser} overheard one of the programmers ask another "Do you
have a green card?" The other grunted and passed the first a thick
yellow booklet. At this point the luser turned a delicate shade of
olive and rapidly left the room, never to return.
In fall 2000 it was reported from Electronic Data Systems that the
green card for 370 machines has been a blue-green booklet since 1989.
from
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
green card
[after the "IBM System/360 Reference Data" card] A summary of
an assembly language, even if the colour is not green. Less
frequently used now because of the decrease in the use of
assembly language. "I'll go get my green card so I can check
the {addressing mode} for that instruction." Some green cards
are actually booklets.
The original green card became a yellow card when the
System/370 was introduced, and later a yellow booklet. An
anecdote from IBM refers to a scene that took place in a
programmers' terminal room at Yorktown in 1978. A luser
overheard one of the programmers ask another "Do you have a
green card?" The other grunted and passed the first a thick
yellow booklet. At this point the luser turned a delicate
shade of olive and rapidly left the room, never to return.
[{Jargon File}]