4 ms·
A byte is always 8 bits. The word you're looking for is `word-size` which, in this case would be 4 bits.
by hvs 5mo ago
A byte is always 8 bits. The word you're looking for is `word-size` which, in this case would be 4 bits.
- jlokier 5mo agoA byte is not always 8 bits on old machines, though it is standardised as 8 bits nowadays. This is why network RFCs talk of "octets", to avoid the ambiguity. Octets are always 8 bits. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octet_(computing) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octet_(computing)
- duped 5mo agoThe definition of a byte today is different than the definition of byte when those machines were manufactured. Just like how 'foot' is now standardized(*) (* technically, a 'foot' is not a standard unit of measure but that's due to the long history of 'foot' not being standardized until relatively recently)
- fc417fc802 5mo agoNo. 8 bit bytes are the de facto standard but that is in no way official nor the definition of the word. You can find modern niche projects with non-8-bit bytes (and by extension non-32 or 64 bit words).
- djmips 5mo agoI didn't realize that there was a 16 bit name called a 'chomp' haha. But more formally hextet.
- quantified 5mo agoI think you might be missing the attempt at humor.
- fc417fc802 5mo agoThat is false. A byte is the base grouping and a word is the native size for a given operation. Some architectures even expose multiple word sizes. (TBF the entire concept can be quite fuzzy depending on the implementation.)