Message-ID: <373B5CA7.659C7965@unb.ca>
Date: Thu, 13 May 1999 19:13:43 -0400
From: Endlisnis <s257m AT unb DOT ca>
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To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
Subject: Re: Portability and size_t type related question
References: <199905131629 DOT SAA32708 AT acp3bf DOT physik DOT rwth-aachen DOT de>
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Hans-Bernhard Broeker wrote:

> > Most people think that byte is a synonym for 8 bits.
>
> I'm aware of that. But that doesn't make it correct, at least not from
> a 'language-lawyer' point of view. Actually, the equivalence of 8 bits
> being a byte is a rather recent invention, compared to the use of the
> 'byte' in computing. There have been 7-bit bytes, 9-bit ones. 8 bits
> just happens to be *so* common today that most of us, esp. those who
> grew up on 8-bit home-computers, tend to think it's the only possible
> definition.

    There were 6 and 4 bit bytes.  4 bit bytes were very popular for a while.
The IBM/360 was the machine that started the whole 8 bit byte hype.

--
     (\/) Endlisnis (\/)
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