What is the Hollerith desk?

The Hollerith desk, developed by Herman Hollerith in the late 19th century, was an early data processing machine used for sorting and tabulating data from punched cards. It revolutionized the handling of census data and significantly improved efficiency in data processing. Hollerith's innovations laid the groundwork for the development of modern computing and the founding of IBM. The desk operated by reading the holes in the punched cards to perform calculations and generate reports quickly.