FW: [LINK] Is it Gb or GB?

[John Clarke]

On Tue, Nov 07, 2006 at 04:03:54 +1100, Roger Clarke wrote:
> At 15:21 +1100 7/11/06, Daniel Rose wrote:
> >IIRC, bytes are only relevant inside a computer's circuit board.
> >Architectures can use any number of bits for a byte, (or is that a
> >word), seven was/is popular with some architectures.
> 
> My memory is that the word 'byte' arose with the IBM 360 c. 1964, and 
> referred and always has referred specifically to an 8-bit block.  But 

No it hasn't.  I've heard of 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 bit bytes.  IIRC, the
PDP-10 had a 36-bit word divided into 4 9-bit bytes, and some CDC
mainframes had 60-bit words divided into 6 10-bit bytes.  I think 6-bit
bytes were used by some IBM machines.

8-bit bytes have become the norm, but "octet" is still used in some
standards to refer to 8-bits.  I don't know whether they still do, but
back when I last had to use them, CCITT standards used "octet".


Cheers,

John
-- 
I was thinking about bolting them together with security screws and leaving 
contact poison on the only compatible screwdriver in  plain view.  Subtlety 
is important.
            -- Peter da Silva