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From: bob@Iago.Caltech.EDU (Robert S. Logan)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards
Subject: last word (bit?) on LGP-30
Message-ID: <8558@brl-adm.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 29-Jul-87 20:05:14 EDT
Article-I.D.: brl-adm.8558
Posted: Wed Jul 29 20:05:14 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Aug-87 00:45:28 EDT
Sender: news@brl-adm.ARPA
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Really re: why the lgp30 had 31 bits.

From: Maintenance Manual for the Royal Precision Electronic Computer

	In the case of a word used only for storage of data to be
	operated on, one bit indicates the algebraic sign, 30 bits
	the magnitude, and one bit a spacer bit for engineering
	reasons.

On the head switching matrix schematic it is called the 'goof bit'!
--
Robert S. Logan
Campus Computing Organization, 158-79 Caltech, Pasadena, CA, 91125
818-356-4631
rslogan@caltech.bitnet
bob@iago.caltech.edu
...!ucbvax!bob%iago@hamlet.caltech.edu

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