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Groups > alt.folklore.computers > #222517
| From | Douglas Wells <nr201504@gmail.com> |
|---|---|
| Newsgroups | alt.folklore.computers, alt.usage.english |
| Subject | Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? |
| Date | 2022-11-11 11:38 -0500 |
| Organization | None to speak of |
| Message-ID | <1668184693.53243@nowhere.invalid> (permalink) |
| References | <tju3n2$pad$2@usenet.csail.mit.edu> <tk9bs2$3aq8j$2@dont-email.me> <mddk042w40y.fsf@panix5.panix.com> |
Cross-posted to 2 groups.
In article <mddk042w40y.fsf@panix5.panix.com>,
Rich Alderson <news@alderson.users.panix.com> wrote:
>Tak To <takto@alum.mit.eduxx> writes:
>> On 11/10/2022 8:40 AM, Peter Flass wrote:
> [ snip irrelevancies ]
>> > think systems with 36-bit words that stored characters in 9 bits may have
>> > called them bytes. 'Characters' was the term of art earlier.
>> The only system I know of that fits that description is Multics,
>> and I don't remember how those 9-bit entities were called.
>They were called "characters", as were 6 bit entities.
The PL/I language used the type identifier "character" (or "char"),
but at the Multics OS level they were often (perhaps even usually)
called "bytes". I remember having numerous discussions with external
people about bytes not being synonymous with 8-bit fields.
To verify my memory I just grepped about a dozen Multics manuals for
"byte". I got 600+ matches, of which about a tenth were the set
phrase "9-bit byte". For instance, in the Multics Reference Guide
(AG91, Dec 1975), there are lines such as:
An unstructured file contains a sequence of 9-bit bytes.
A character string (packed or unpacked) whose length is n
occupies n consecutive 9-bit bytes. Each byte contains a
single 7-bit ASCII character right justified within the byte.
The Multics hardware supported 6-bit fields (indeed called
characters), but I can't think of any aspect of the Multics OS
architecture that used 6-bit fields.
>> Around MIT's ITS (PDP-10) environs, a 7-bit ASCII character was simply an
>> ASCII character. ASCII characters were generally packed 5 to a 36-bit word.
>That is also the format for ASCII text in the DEC operating systems for the
>PDP-6 (on which ITS originally ran) and PDP-10. Nothing special about MIT
>here.
>And the 7 bit entities treated as ASCII characters are called "bytes" when
>manipulating them with byte pointers in the relevant instructions.
To the best of my memory the use of "byte" in Multics preceded my
acquaintance with it, but there were enough PDP-10s (and a PDP-6)
around that it was difficult to move without tripping over one. This
probably helped with the insertion of the term "byte" into Multics
terminology.
Also, I will add that at least the KCC C compiler on the PDP-10 also
stored characters in the same form of 7-bit ASCII right justified in a
9-bit byte field. (The "extra" bit at the end of normal PDP-10 ASCII
(5*7+1) isn't allowed for "char" types in the C language.)
- dmw
--
. Douglas Wells . nr201404@gmail.com .
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Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? "Kerr-Mudd, John" <admin@127.0.0.1> - 2022-11-06 18:18 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> - 2022-11-06 17:10 -0500
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> - 2022-11-06 17:18 -0500
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2022-11-06 22:22 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? lar3ryca <larry@invalid.ca> - 2022-11-06 22:32 -0600
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> - 2022-11-06 23:46 -0500
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Ken Blake <Ken@invalid.news.com> - 2022-11-08 15:03 -0700
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2022-11-08 22:42 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> - 2022-11-08 22:49 -0500
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Ken Blake <Ken@invalid.news.com> - 2022-11-09 13:48 -0700
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? lar3ryca <larry@invalid.ca> - 2022-11-08 23:21 -0600
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2022-11-09 18:36 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? lar3ryca <larry@invalid.ca> - 2022-11-09 13:06 -0600
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? greymaus <greymaus@dmaus.org> - 2022-11-09 19:49 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2022-11-09 21:32 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? lar3ryca <larry@invalid.ca> - 2022-11-09 23:29 -0600
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2022-11-10 19:08 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? lar3ryca <larry@invalid.ca> - 2022-11-11 22:16 -0600
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2022-11-10 06:40 -0700
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? D.J. <chucktheouch@gmnol.com> - 2022-11-10 10:57 -0600
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? lar3ryca <larry@invalid.ca> - 2022-11-09 23:14 -0600
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Ken Blake <Ken@invalid.news.com> - 2022-11-09 13:46 -0700
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Ken Blake <Ken@invalid.news.com> - 2022-11-08 14:52 -0700
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> - 2022-11-08 22:44 -0500
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2022-11-09 06:04 -0700
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> - 2022-11-09 09:06 -0500
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Tak To <takto@alum.mit.eduxx> - 2022-11-09 13:11 -0500
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Ken Blake <Ken@invalid.news.com> - 2022-11-09 15:35 -0700
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2022-11-10 06:40 -0700
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Tak To <takto@alum.mit.eduxx> - 2022-11-10 12:04 -0500
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Vir Campestris <vir.campestris@invalid.invalid> - 2022-11-10 21:09 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Bob Eager <news0009@eager.cx> - 2022-11-10 23:18 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Rich Alderson <news@alderson.users.panix.com> - 2022-11-10 22:45 -0500
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Vir Campestris <vir.campestris@invalid.invalid> - 2022-11-11 21:30 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Bob Eager <news0009@eager.cx> - 2022-11-11 22:47 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Tak To <takto@alum.mit.eduxx> - 2022-11-11 19:52 -0500
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Bob Eager <news0009@eager.cx> - 2022-11-12 10:16 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2022-11-11 18:16 -0700
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Peter Moylan <peter@pmoylan.org.invalid> - 2022-11-12 20:50 +1100
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? lar3ryca <larry@invalid.ca> - 2022-11-12 08:07 -0600
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2022-11-12 11:42 -0700
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Thomas Koenig <tkoenig@netcologne.de> - 2022-11-12 19:38 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Peter Moylan <peter@pmoylan.org.invalid> - 2022-11-13 10:32 +1100
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? gareth evans <headstone255@yahoo.com> - 2022-11-12 15:32 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Tak To <takto@alum.mit.eduxx> - 2022-11-12 12:55 -0500
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> - 2022-11-12 18:42 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Thomas Koenig <tkoenig@netcologne.de> - 2022-11-12 19:25 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Tak To <takto@alum.mit.eduxx> - 2022-11-12 14:41 -0500
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Vir Campestris <vir.campestris@invalid.invalid> - 2022-11-14 17:36 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Thomas Koenig <tkoenig@netcologne.de> - 2022-11-15 06:05 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2022-11-12 14:38 -0700
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> - 2022-11-13 05:41 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2022-11-12 20:53 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> - 2022-11-13 05:42 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? "Kerr-Mudd, John" <admin@127.0.0.1> - 2022-11-13 09:55 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Tak To <takto@alum.mit.eduxx> - 2022-11-12 12:36 -0500
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Thomas Koenig <tkoenig@netcologne.de> - 2022-11-12 18:08 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2022-11-12 11:42 -0700
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Tak To <takto@alum.mit.eduxx> - 2022-11-12 14:14 -0500
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Robin Vowels <robin.vowels@gmail.com> - 2022-11-14 20:19 -0800
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2022-11-12 19:42 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Tak To <takto@alum.mit.eduxx> - 2022-11-12 14:59 -0500
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? "Kerr-Mudd, John" <admin@127.0.0.1> - 2022-11-13 10:04 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? greymaus <greymaus@dmaus.org> - 2022-11-13 17:02 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> - 2022-11-13 17:57 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? "Kerr-Mudd, John" <admin@127.0.0.1> - 2022-11-13 21:03 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? snipeco.2@gmail.com (Sn!pe) - 2022-11-13 21:55 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2022-11-13 15:31 -0700
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Clark G <clarkm.geimsler@ieeemmm.org> - 2022-11-22 15:39 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2022-11-14 02:42 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Mark Triggers <mark.triggers@gmail.com> - 2022-11-14 06:33 -0800
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Charles Richmond <codescott@aquaporin4.com> - 2022-11-17 02:26 -0600
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2022-11-17 18:37 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2022-11-17 19:04 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? D.J. <chucktheouch@gmnol.com> - 2022-11-21 10:18 -0600
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Andreas Eder <a_eder_muc@web.de> - 2022-11-19 16:10 +0100
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2022-11-12 14:38 -0700
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Tak To <takto@alum.mit.eduxx> - 2022-11-13 14:50 -0500
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Bob Eager <news0009@eager.cx> - 2022-11-12 10:19 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? "Kerr-Mudd, John" <admin@127.0.0.1> - 2022-11-12 11:22 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? gareth evans <headstone255@yahoo.com> - 2022-11-12 15:35 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Snidely <snidely.too@gmail.com> - 2022-11-11 18:55 -0800
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Snidely <snidely.too@gmail.com> - 2022-11-11 18:57 -0800
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Bob Eager <news0009@eager.cx> - 2022-11-12 10:18 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? "Anders D. Nygaard" <news2012adn@gmail.com> - 2022-11-10 22:45 +0100
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Rich Alderson <news@alderson.users.panix.com> - 2022-11-10 22:47 -0500
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Peter Moylan <peter@pmoylan.org.invalid> - 2022-11-12 21:05 +1100
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2022-11-12 07:06 -0700
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Vir Campestris <vir.campestris@invalid.invalid> - 2022-11-14 17:54 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2022-11-14 18:16 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2022-11-14 13:51 -0700
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Bob Eager <news0009@eager.cx> - 2022-11-14 21:49 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2022-11-14 22:07 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Anne & Lynn Wheeler <lynn@garlic.com> - 2022-11-15 08:42 -1000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Charles Richmond <codescott@aquaporin4.com> - 2022-11-17 02:31 -0600
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Bob Eager <news0009@eager.cx> - 2022-11-17 09:25 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? greymaus <greymaus@dmaus.org> - 2022-11-11 09:35 +0000
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2022-11-11 10:11 -0700
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Rich Alderson <news@alderson.users.panix.com> - 2022-11-10 22:42 -0500
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Douglas Wells <nr201504@gmail.com> - 2022-11-11 11:38 -0500
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Tak To <takto@alum.mit.eduxx> - 2022-11-11 20:03 -0500
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Ken Blake <Ken@invalid.news.com> - 2022-11-09 14:16 -0700
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Ken Blake <Ken@invalid.news.com> - 2022-11-09 14:07 -0700
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Ken Blake <Ken@invalid.news.com> - 2022-11-08 14:42 -0700
Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ? Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> - 2022-11-08 22:35 -0500
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