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From: bzs@bu-cs.BU.EDU (Barry Shein)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.m68k,comp.std.internat,comp.arch
Subject: How do you say "byte" in French?
Message-ID: <2794@bu-cs.BU.EDU>
Date: Fri, 5-Dec-86 00:40:13 EST
Article-I.D.: bu-cs.2794
Posted: Fri Dec  5 00:40:13 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 5-Dec-86 05:54:49 EST
Organization: Boston U. Comp. Sci.
Lines: 11
Xref: mnetor comp.sys.m68k:61 comp.std.internat:19 comp.arch:88


Byte size is a variable quantity. Octet is used extensively in the
ARPAnet protocol definitions when they mean precisely eight bits.  It
is a fine term and anyone who is teaching people that a byte is an
absolute quantity meaning 8 bits is doing those folks a disservice.

That does not mean, of course, that when speaking in a context one
cannot first explain that their use of the word byte will always means
an octet. I use this when I teach. It's not not an octet either.

	-Barry Shein, Boston University