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Thread ID: 27903 2002-12-06 03:31:00 WFTWE.....Nybble.....I couldn't begin to make up something this wacky...... Billy T (70) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
103652 2002-12-06 03:31:00 Nybble

In computer terminology . . . . . . . half a byte

nybble /nib'l/ (alt . `nibble') n .

From v . `nibble' by analogy with `bite' => `byte'

Four bits; one hex digit; a half-byte . ?:|

Here's some more for your general edification; it seems some computer types have had altogether too much time on their hands!

Start quote

Following `bit', `byte' and `nybble' there have been quite a few analogical attempts to construct unambiguous terms for bit blocks of other sizes . All of these are strictly jargon, not techspeak, and not very common jargon at that (most hackers would recognize them in context but not use them spontaneously) . We collect them here for reference together with the ambiguous techspeak terms `word', `half-word' and `double word'; some (indicated) have substantial information separate entries .

2 bits:
crumb, quad, quarter, tayste, tydbit
4 bits:
nybble
5 bits:
nickle
10 bits:
deckle
16 bits:
playte, chawmp (on a 32-bit machine), word (on a 16-bit machine), half-word (on a 32-bit machine) .
18 bits:
chawmp (on a 36-bit machine), half-word (on a 36-bit machine)
32 bits:
dynner, gawble (on a 32-bit machine), word (on a 32-bit machine), longword (on a 16-bit machine) .
36:
word (on a 36-bit machine)
48 bits:
gawble (under circumstances that remain obscure)
64 bits
double word (on a 32-bit machine)

The fundamental motivation for most of these jargon terms (aside from the normal hackerly enjoyment of punning wordplay) is the extreme ambiguity of the term `word' and its derivatives .

End quote

Cheers

Billy 8-{) :D
Billy T (70)
103653 2002-12-06 03:40:00 Just to add to the confusion:
6 bits : byte (in PDP8) and
9 bits : byte (in 18 bit machines)
(That's why an 8 bit unit is called an octet these days ...

12 bits : syllable (in 48 bit Burroughs machines), word (in PDP8).
(The I/O channels on 60 bit CDC machines used 12 bits too ...)
Graham L (2)
103654 2002-12-06 03:53:00 Good one Billy, I love it! :D Susan B (19)
103655 2002-12-07 02:35:00 Just a quick *cough* refresh folks.

:D
Billy T (70)
103656 2002-12-07 04:42:00 Hi Billy.

Interesting post. :^O :^O

Didn't want to byte off more than I could chew, so read it slowly, bit by bit, took some digesting.

It's nearly tea time so off to chawmp on a playte of chips!

All the best for Christmas. (ditto for Susan too)

Cheers.

exLL :-)
exLL (515)
103657 2002-12-07 20:27:00 Hi exLL

All the best to you and yours for Christmas.

I have a project in mind for the Christmas break: to restore an old radio to life! :D

I'll keep you posted on results.

Cheers

Billy T 8-{) :) :)
Billy T (70)
103658 2002-12-10 20:18:00 Sorry for taking a long time to get back to this post -- had no email notifications for a few days, then got a big flood of them and the one for this thread got buried.

Anyway, loved your contribution exLL. :D

All the best to you for Christmas as well; trust that you will get lots of trail riding in over the holidays like I hope to do. :-)
Susan B (19)
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