From: N8TM AT aol DOT com
Subject: Re:  Re: long long vs long
24 Jul 1998 22:44:41 -0700
Message-ID: <7d7bcb1d.35b889c6.cygnus.gnu-win32@aol.com>
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To: smorris AT xionics DOT com, owner-gnu-win32 AT cygnus DOT com, gnu-win32 AT cygnus DOT com


In a message dated 7/24/98 1:24:02 AM, smorris AT xionics DOT com wrote:

>Octal makes sense in an environment with
>word sizes of multiples of 3 bits. Hex is only useful with multiples of 4
>bits.


I found hex useful on 36-bit word machines like GE600/Honeywell6000 where
floating point sub-fields were aligned on 4-bit boundaries, but of course
characters were aligned either on 6-bit or 9-bit boundaries.  It wasn't
difficult to have hex display software recognize patterns which made more
sense in character or octal.  So why did octal persist so long on 16/32 bit
machines?

>The IBM 360 was 36 bits.

The  704 and 7094 were 36 bits, as were some would-be competitors of the 360.
These competitors apparently believed, mistakenly, that IBM customers would
switch brands rather than switch word lengths, and that the superiority of
36-bit binary floating point over 360-style 32-bit hex would carry the day.
As it turned out, of course, prices of 32-bit memory dropped so fast that
64-bit double precision was more affordable than 36-bit single with extended
registers.
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