Groups > alt.folklore.computers > #222505

Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ?

From	Vir Campestris <vir.campestris@invalid.invalid>
Newsgroups	alt.folklore.computers, alt.usage.english
Subject	Re: do some Americans write their 1's in this way ?
Date	2022-11-10 21:09 +0000
Organization	A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID	<tkjpb7$kd33$1@dont-email.me> (permalink)
References	(12 earlier) <tkf7mj$4v6f$2@dont-email.me> <802387664.689691586.888786.peter_flass-yahoo.com@news.eternal-september.org> <tkgc4v$818e$1@dont-email.me> <71662817.689779850.928131.peter_flass-yahoo.com@news.eternal-september.org> <tkjaum$j9pf$1@dont-email.me>

Cross-posted to 2 groups.

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On 10/11/2022 17:04, Tak To wrote:
> On 11/10/2022 8:40 AM, Peter Flass wrote:
>> Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> writes:
>>>> [...]
>>>> Actually, “byte” is really an unspecified number of bits, although nowadays
>>>> it’s conventionally 8. Normally a byte is a glob large enough to hold a
>>>> character, so six bits could be a byte.
>>>
>>> Until S/360 was announced I never heard the term byte.
>>
>> I’d have to look it up to see where it came from. I know the PDP-10 had the
>> ability to handle various byte sizes, and I think they used the term.
> 
> Yes, but
> 
>   - The PDP-10 came out a couple of years after the S/360.
> 
>   - "Byte" for PDP-10 is not specifically intended for representing
>     characters.  It is just any chunk that is smaller than a 36-bit
>     word.
> 
>   - The PDP-10 can extract a byte (into a 36-bit register) with a
>     single instruction via a 36-bit pointer, but is not really
>     byte-addressable.  I.e., the memory address lines are still
>     word granular.
> 
> whereas for the s/360
> 
>   - byte is specifically for representing an EBCDIC character; or
>     two BCD (binary coded decimal) digits
> 
>   - address lines are byte-granular (and thus the s/360 can have
>     variable length instructions, which is the real payout)
> 
>> 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.
> 
> 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.
> 
PDP-10 is a long time ago, but I don't recall any byte type stuff. 
Strings were as you say packed as 5x7-bit chars in a word. And there 
were SIXBIT strings too - 6-bit characters, as used in filenames.

I can't recall anything that allowed you to pull parts of words out.

Andy

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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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