From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on inbox.vuxu.org X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.1 required=5.0 tests=DKIM_SIGNED,DKIM_VALID, DKIM_VALID_AU,HTML_MESSAGE,MAILING_LIST_MULTI,RCVD_IN_DNSWL_NONE autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 Received: (qmail 14772 invoked from network); 3 Feb 2021 22:55:47 -0000 Received: from minnie.tuhs.org (45.79.103.53) by inbox.vuxu.org with ESMTPUTF8; 3 Feb 2021 22:55:47 -0000 Received: by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix, from userid 112) id 2EE479C90E; Thu, 4 Feb 2021 08:55:45 +1000 (AEST) Received: from minnie.tuhs.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 86F5C9BA47; Thu, 4 Feb 2021 08:55:29 +1000 (AEST) Authentication-Results: minnie.tuhs.org; dkim=pass (2048-bit key; unprotected) header.d=dartmouth.edu header.i=@dartmouth.edu header.b="SQ8LW2Tr"; dkim-atps=neutral Received: by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix, from userid 112) id C5F6A9BA47; Thu, 4 Feb 2021 08:55:27 +1000 (AEST) Received: from mail-wr1-f43.google.com (mail-wr1-f43.google.com [209.85.221.43]) by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id A3A629BA40 for ; Thu, 4 Feb 2021 08:55:26 +1000 (AEST) Received: by mail-wr1-f43.google.com with SMTP id b3so1228076wrj.5 for ; Wed, 03 Feb 2021 14:55:26 -0800 (PST) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=dartmouth.edu; s=google1; h=mime-version:references:in-reply-to:from:date:message-id:subject:to :cc; bh=R6blRgRg60UAdehTaEbSs3UqzLKZJY/7syky7rNkXf0=; b=SQ8LW2TrQLdHZZ2UzQKvEXkooTaQ+VHrrvgvkryrPuYbnemm4l3mQ1WYNMTRT43gdX EpBV2p89EoLvHkufigv/xpGRNeMLDHzn4aOU2i8PYhjkufeqLGeIzCThMilZlS8IYybt lphbHdYSrCV7uLVhzISeUZFRfiRUO1oJmBeAixyVElztC7WPYCjvS0WI/Df2KP6AhCHE 3RIkfbtWRFBDyInHGAN7XCdCL6MXOrCE6lJ9Nt3veA/1zQZU/lmomX547sYkqUgKPMZq XAXgKH4m9iVXC6JS151mTpuSyx261/DA53BUvgudKl2MooI9fBScncaeoOEn9+7SE/wH YDCA== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20161025; h=x-gm-message-state:mime-version:references:in-reply-to:from:date :message-id:subject:to:cc; bh=R6blRgRg60UAdehTaEbSs3UqzLKZJY/7syky7rNkXf0=; b=PB52eLoCPR46HaqVAzWZYGzdpaBOMlsvn37BcZ4sheHvcV+QpT6VXvEd63ZzBYKrX4 D2mTXE7oj7oikgUCRcfyAVJx7DYSN54ePJWtXmeOC3IOCFXm6fF1RcEcB0kCcurOBM94 wU6MmzTlU7LIOPFPFFll7DKHv1to9b30Z31FdLu7azafn72jT3EQdAG13grMAIr07EEQ z7ddYuqYb8wZ6l067tQPqlmBxY8mppETiCUx9FPVxBrG5dgz8pi/tU7Luu/Iwg43xpMs xEQBp6L8OzX3Yc5B5qjRRxafJ97p6D632rzG9ATchn3zYNc18NWg/MV/9AWnC/3bSlJS YYXw== X-Gm-Message-State: AOAM5307OSkvhuW+4YLasQ/YGg5h7dVviGoqBErtLk5810fAJqb86FZQ YsHF5U7IAxrC1gQDcAyjs99vVs43PZzdUda677h8SQ== X-Google-Smtp-Source: ABdhPJxoePchpOy+yUTjL60ijJGLqP+mboQCPldsYop8/cAS1nBLXGpisi81eujb0JGJ61t8xlW7Akxah9y5/LrNPG4= X-Received: by 2002:a5d:4a0d:: with SMTP id m13mr5970084wrq.395.1612392925164; Wed, 03 Feb 2021 14:55:25 -0800 (PST) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: <202009190151.08J1pYnb066792@tahoe.cs.dartmouth.edu> <202009201842.08KIgn2f022401@freefriends.org> <04211470-AD63-452A-A0BB-6A7A6FD85AAE@gmail.com> <202009202026.08KKQ2x6137303@tahoe.cs.dartmouth.edu> <20210202234703.GH4227@mcvoy.com> <20210203001900.GI4227@mcvoy.com> In-Reply-To: From: M Douglas McIlroy Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2021 17:55:08 -0500 Message-ID: To: Dave Horsfall Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="0000000000008b09a205ba767bc2" Subject: Re: [TUHS] reviving a bit of WWB X-BeenThere: tuhs@minnie.tuhs.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.26 Precedence: list List-Id: The Unix Heritage Society mailing list List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Cc: The Eunuchs Hysterical Society Errors-To: tuhs-bounces@minnie.tuhs.org Sender: "TUHS" --0000000000008b09a205ba767bc2 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" >> Whirlwind II (built in 1952), was 16 bits. It took a long while for that >> to become common wisdom. > Now that goes back... Yup. Before my time. I didn't get to use it until 1954. Doug On Wed, Feb 3, 2021 at 5:19 PM Dave Horsfall wrote: > On Tue, 2 Feb 2021, M Douglas McIlroy wrote: > > > > I'm trying to get my head around a 10-bit machine optimised for C. > > > > How about 23-bits? That was one of the early ESS machines, evidently > > optimized to make every bit count. (Maybe a prime wordwidth helps with > > hashing?) > > 23 bits? I think I'm about to throw up... Yeah, being prime I suppose it > would help with hashing (and other crypto stuff). > > > Whirlwind II (built in 1952), was 16 bits. It took a long while for that > > to become common wisdom. > > Now that goes back... > > -- Dave > --0000000000008b09a205ba767bc2 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
>> Whirlwi= nd II (built in 1952), was 16 bits. It took a long while for that
>&g= t; to become common wisdom.

> Now that goes back...

Yup. Before my=C2=A0time.=C2=A0 I didn&#= 39;t get to use=C2=A0it until 1954.

Doug

On W= ed, Feb 3, 2021 at 5:19 PM Dave Horsfall <dave@horsfall.org> wrote:
On Tue, 2 Feb 2021, M Douglas McIlroy wrote:

> > I'm trying to get my head around a 10-bit machine optimised f= or C.
>
> How about 23-bits? That was one of the early ESS machines, evidently <= br> > optimized to make every bit count. (Maybe a prime wordwidth helps with=
> hashing?)

23 bits?=C2=A0 I think I'm about to throw up...=C2=A0 Yeah, being prime= I suppose it
would help with hashing (and other crypto stuff).

> Whirlwind II (built in 1952), was 16 bits. It took a long while for th= at
> to become common wisdom.

Now that goes back...

-- Dave
--0000000000008b09a205ba767bc2--