XPost: comp.lang.c++   
   From: ldo@nz.invalid   
      
   On Sat, 1 Nov 2025 18:36:11 +0000, Bill Davy wrote:   
      
   > Never understood PDP11 using octal.  16 bits / 3?  Old habits die hard.   
      
   Ah, but the addressing-mode and register fields in the instructions lined   
   up nicely with octal digits.   
      
   > Now, the PDP9 (18 bits / 3).   
      
   All DEC’s prior machines (before the PDP-11) had word lengths which were   
   multiples of 3 (12, 18, 36). There is even an internal DEC memo at   
   Bitsavers arguing that the PDP-11 (still in gestation at that point)   
   should be an 18-bit machine.   
      
   But I guess the pull of powers of 2 just proved irresistible ...   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)