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From: malcolm@spar.SPAR.SLB.COM (Malcolm Slaney)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards
Subject: Re: Size of SysV "block"
Message-ID: <52@spar.SPAR.SLB.COM>
Date: Tue, 14-Jul-87 23:03:30 EDT
Article-I.D.: spar.52
Posted: Tue Jul 14 23:03:30 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 17-Jul-87 03:57:02 EDT
References: <218@astra.necisa.oz> <142700010@tiger.UUCP>
Reply-To: malcolm@spar.UUCP (Malcolm Slaney)
Organization: Schlumberger Palo Alto Research - CASLAB
Lines: 22
Summary: Common Lisp Bytes are not just 8 bits

In article <142700010@tiger.UUCP> rjd@tiger.UUCP writes:
>
>> How big is a "byte"?  (No, it's not necessarily 8 bits!)
>
>   O.K., I'll byte.  (oops, pun initially unintended.)   A byte IS eight 
>   bits!!!

You and I both know this....but tell that to the Common Lisp people.

In "Common Lisp, The Language" by Guy Steele, 1984.  (page 225)

	Several functions are provided for dealing with an arbitrary-
	width field of contiguous bits appearing anywhere in an integer/
	Such a contiguous set of bits is called a "byte".  Here the
	term "byte" does not imply some fixed number of bits (such as
	eight) rather a field of arbitrary and user-specifiable width.

ARGGHHHHH.....Talk about making it difficult to move software between 
a Symbolics machine (which is where the screwy standard came from, I
think) and a Unix machine.

							Malcolm