I am a visual thinker much of the time, but more than a few words would help.

Cards are a wonderful analogy.

I am so reminded of a "toy" computer from the 1950's and early 1960's, usually advertised next to Geniac that consisted of a bunch of punched cards (that you punched?) that you sort with sticks. An early database, I guess.

I searched all over, including my downloaded archive of electronics magazines from the era (many of which I read at the time)

I can picture it, but the internet can't find it. I guess it's interesting when an old brain seems to have better recall than internet search.

I so wanted those gadgets but the lawn-mowing "fortune" never approached the prices.