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From: guy%gorodish@Sun.COM (Guy Harris)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards
Subject: Re: byte != 8 bits
Message-ID: <24681@sun.uucp>
Date: Sun, 2-Aug-87 03:00:51 EDT
Article-I.D.: sun.24681
Posted: Sun Aug  2 03:00:51 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 2-Aug-87 20:11:56 EDT
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> This is true, but it does not affect my claim.  A byte *is* exactly
> 8 bits.
> ...9-bit bytes...
> ... 9-bit byte ...

Gee, if a byte *is* (emphasis yours) exactly 8 bits, why are you
talking about 9-bit bytes?

A byte is not exactly 8 bits.  Proof by counterexample: the DEC 10s
and 20s.  Or, for an even better counterexample, namely one that runs
UNIX: the Sperroughs Burrivac 1100 series.

If you meant "a byte *should be* exactly 8 bits wherever possible",
that's an opinion that can be meaningfully discussed.  However, you
said "a byte *is* exactly 8 bits", which is not an opinion, but an
antifact (i.e., it is stated as if it were a fact not subject to
debate, but it is false).
	Guy Harris
	{ihnp4, decvax, seismo, decwrl, ...}!sun!guy
	guy@sun.com