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From: ram@elmgate.UUCP (Randy Martens)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: *Why* do modern machines mostly have 8-bit bytes?
Message-ID: <699@elmgate.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 5-Aug-87 17:18:02 EDT
Article-I.D.: elmgate.699
Posted: Wed Aug  5 17:18:02 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 8-Aug-87 06:28:01 EDT
References: <142700010@tiger.UUCP> <2792@phri.UUCP> <8315@utzoo.UUCP> <3532@ihlpg.ATT.COM> <1037@vaxb.calgary.UUCP> <17721@amdcad.AMD.COM>
Reply-To: ram@elmgate.UUCP (Randy Martens)
Organization: Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY
Lines: 22
Summary: some dont necessarily have 8 bit bytes

I have just completed an assignment working on a bunch of COMPAQ deskpro-286
PC's.  They use 18 bit words ( 9 bit bytes).

The reason - to boost memory chip sales by 11%.

No, not really.  It is done because there is hardware parity checking on all 
memory, which can be useful when you have one of the poor little beasties
stuffed with 3.7 meg of RAM.  I believe you can disable the parity checking
if you want to, but you don't want to.  The systems tend to whack out on you
if you do.

By the way, if I am not mistaken, the Data General Nova 2200 of yesteryear 
 used a 10 bit byte.  And a nine bit tape.  This was weird

Randy Martens , ( forgeive me if I have sinned but I am new to the net)
mail -> Eastman Kodak, Dept 646 2-9 , 901 Elmgrove Rd, Rochester, NY, 14650
" Reality - What a concept ! " - r.williams

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