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From: henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer)
Newsgroups: net.lang.c
Subject: Re: portability; bit*
Message-ID: <4867@utzoo.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 5-Jan-85 20:09:14 EST
Article-I.D.: utzoo.4867
Posted: Sat Jan  5 20:09:14 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 5-Jan-85 20:09:14 EST
References: <2667@dartvax.UUCP>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Lines: 13

> C  and  C programmers assume that the machine is easily character
> addressed, but the language takes no notice of bit addressing.
> 
> I therefore propose that the bit type be added to C, with  atten-
> dant bit*, bit[] bit(), etc.

Most machines are not too hard to address by the character.  In particular,
most any machine which is not saddled with 20 years of backward compatibility
addresses to the byte.  Efficient bit addressing is rather less common, and
not nearly as useful.  Doesn't seem worth a language change at this late date.
-- 
				Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
				{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry