Octet, not byte - Revision history

Alexander: rewrite, updated explanation and revised motivation

2024-10-26T06:42:22Z

rewrite, updated explanation and revised motivation

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:42, 26 October 2024
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	~~In general~~, ~~we try~~ to ~~avoid using~~ the term byte~~, because it is sometimes ambiguous, much like the term~~ '~~word~~' is. It ~~is burden enough~~ that the ~~size~~ of ~~a word~~ is ~~machine-dependent, and since~~ the ~~size~~ of a byte ~~is too~~, ~~let us dispense with it in favour of a term that is not:~~ '''~~octet~~'''.		Some time ago in the early 2020s, I began to detest the use of the term ''byte'' to refer colloquially to 8-bit words. It felt imprecise but at the same time that was not the only reason I felt was why I disliked this. In late May of 2024 it occurred to me: '''octet''' is used to measure the ''distance'' or ''magnitude'' of data, whereas '''byte''', being deprecated for such use, instead remains only to denominate the ''mass'' or ''volume'' of data.

	~~Bytes are ''almost'' always 8 bits. Octets are ''always'' 8 bits~~.		In engineering contexts it is not yet immediately clear where octets begin or end and likewise with bytes, but as I endeavour to apply this piece of theory in my work on [[Sirius DOS]] and [[Byblos]] it will eventually become so. I will then author a formal theory that exactly elucidates the purpose of the distinction, and from there inspire people by identifying benefits of the idea.

	~~Sometimes hardware literature~~ will ~~take~~ the ~~liberty~~ of ~~using~~ the ~~term ''byte'' in their own given context. Let us not write hardware literature in such a way~~, and ~~let us not give existing hardware literature such an excess deference when it does so~~.

	[[Category:Scathing screeds]][[Category:Rules of life]][[Category:Computing terminology]]		[[Category:Scathing screeds]][[Category:Rules of life]][[Category:Computing terminology]]

Alexander: new category

2023-04-25T03:13:03Z

new category

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:13, 25 April 2023
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	Sometimes hardware literature will take the liberty of using the term ''byte'' in their own given context. Let us not write hardware literature in such a way, and let us not give existing hardware literature such an excess deference when it does so.		Sometimes hardware literature will take the liberty of using the term ''byte'' in their own given context. Let us not write hardware literature in such a way, and let us not give existing hardware literature such an excess deference when it does so.

	[[Category:Scathing screeds]][[Category:Rules of life]]		[[Category:Scathing screeds]][[Category:Rules of life]][[Category:Computing terminology]]

Alexander: Created page with "In general, we try to avoid using the term byte, because it is sometimes ambiguous, much like the term 'word' is. It is burden enough that the size of a word is machine-dependent, and since the size of a byte is too, let us dispense with it in favour of a term that is not: '''octet'''. Bytes are ''almost'' always 8 bits. Octets are ''always'' 8 bits. Sometimes hardware literature will take the liberty of using the term ''byte'' in their own given context. Let us not wr..."

2023-03-05T18:50:20Z

Created page with "In general, we try to avoid using the term byte, because it is sometimes ambiguous, much like the term 'word' is. It is burden enough that the size of a word is machine-dependent, and since the size of a byte is too, let us dispense with it in favour of a term that is not: '''octet'''. Bytes are ''almost'' always 8 bits. Octets are ''always'' 8 bits. Sometimes hardware literature will take the liberty of using the term ''byte'' in their own given context. Let us not wr..."

New page

In general, we try to avoid using the term byte, because it is sometimes ambiguous, much like the term 'word' is. It is burden enough that the size of a word is machine-dependent, and since the size of a byte is too, let us dispense with it in favour of a term that is not: '''octet'''.

Bytes are ''almost'' always 8 bits. Octets are ''always'' 8 bits.

Sometimes hardware literature will take the liberty of using the term ''byte'' in their own given context. Let us not write hardware literature in such a way, and let us not give existing hardware literature such an excess deference when it does so.

[[Category:Scathing screeds]][[Category:Rules of life]]