Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!uwvax!astroatc!philm From: philm@astroatc.UUCP (Phil Mason) Newsgroups: comp.arch Subject: Re: Byte Order: On Holy Wars and a Plea for Peace Message-ID: <650@astroatc.UUCP> Date: Thu, 18-Dec-86 10:53:20 EST Article-I.D.: astroatc.650 Posted: Thu Dec 18 10:53:20 1986 Date-Received: Thu, 18-Dec-86 23:44:25 EST References: <1509@ihlpl.UUCP> <1335@hoptoad.uucp> <1364@hoptoad.uucp> <399@viper.UUCP> <228@watcgl.UUCP> <650@instable.UUCP> Reply-To: philm@astroatc.UUCP (Phil Mason) Organization: Astronautics ATC, Madison, WI Lines: 48 In article <650@instable.UUCP> orr@instable.UUCP (Orr Michael ) writes: > . . . > >As a native hebrew speaker here's my 2 cents' worth : > > In hebrew, ( at least modern hebrew ) the language is written >right-to-left, but embedded numbers are written & read *left-to-right* > > HOWEVER, if the number is written in *words* it is written >right to left. ( 1123 would come out "a thousand, one hundred & twenty > three" as in english, but the words will apear right to left ) >-- In both Arabic and Hebrew, numerics were originally read just like the words, right to left, least significant digit first. When the volumous Arabic mathematical texts were translated to Latin (a left to right language), the numbers were left in the same order as they were in the Arabic texts. One might assume that the translators did not wish to bother reversing all of the digits in every number in all of those mathematical texts. Just think of all of the errors that could have been introduced! Those Arabic texts also gave us words like (and concepts) like 'zero', 'azimuth', 'algebra', among others. Now the question remains, does the byte sex of hardware influence its complexity? Does right to left digit writing make mathematics and arithmetic any easier? Probably not. In terms of computers, I know I would rather have the archiecture that was most consistent and efficient. At this juncture it seems byte sex is a moot point given that machines of both varieties exist and are popular. Given any new architecture, I am sure that the architect(s) would give the targeted users what they want and also maintain their own idea of a consistent approach to the operation of their machine. My rule of thumb in architectural matters is : If it is consistent, simple, easy to think about, easy to realize it's probably the thing to do. -- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Kirk : Bones ? | Phil Mason, Astronautics Technology Center Bones : He's dead Jim. | Madison, Wisconsin - "Eat Cheese or Die!" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -| ...seismo-uwvax-astroatc!philm | I would really like to believe that my ...ihnp4-nicmad/ | employer shares all my opinions, but . . . =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=