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nybblemore about nybble

nybble


  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  nybble 
  n  :  a  small  byte  [syn:  {nibble}] 
 
  From  Jargon  File  (4.2.3,  23  NOV  2000)  [jargon]: 
 
  nybble  /nib'l/  (alt.  `nibble')  n.  [from  v.  `nibble'  by 
  analogy  with  `bite'  =>  `byte']  Four  bits;  one  {hex}  digit;  a  half-byte. 
  Though  `byte'  is  now  techspeak  this  useful  relative  is  still  jargon. 
  Compare  {{byte}};  see  also  {bit}.  The  more  mundane  spelling  nibble" 
  is  also  commonly  used  Apparently  the  `nybble'  spelling  is  uncommon 
  in  Commonwealth  Hackish,  as  British  orthography  would  suggest  the 
  pronunciation  /ni:'bl/. 
 
  Following  `bit',  `byte'  and  `nybble'  there  have  been  quite  a  few 
  analogical  attempts  to  construct  unambiguous  terms  for  bit  blocks  of  other 
  sizes.  All  of  these  are  strictly  jargon,  not  techspeak  and  not  very 
  common  jargon  at  that  (most  hackers  would  recognize  them  in  context  but 
  not  use  them  spontaneously).  We  collect  them  here  for  reference  together 
  with  the  ambiguous  techspeak  terms  `word',  `half-word'  and  `double  word'; 
  some  (indicated)  have  substantial  information  separate  entries. 
  2  bits: 
  {crumb},  {quad},  {quarter},  tayste,  tydbit,  morsel 
 
  4  bits: 
  nybble 
 
  5  bits: 
  {nickle} 
 
  10  bits: 
  {deckle} 
 
  16  bits: 
  playte,  {chawmp}  (on  a  32-bit  machine),  word  (on  a  16-bit 
  machine),  half-word  (on  a  32-bit  machine). 
 
  18  bits: 
  {chawmp}  (on  a  36-bit  machine),  half-word  (on  a  36-bit  machine) 
 
  32  bits: 
  dynner,  {gawble}  (on  a  32-bit  machine),  word  (on  a  32-bit 
  machine),  longword  (on  a  16-bit  machine). 
 
  36: 
  word  (on  a  36-bit  machine) 
 
  48  bits: 
  {gawble}  (under  circumstances  that  remain  obscure) 
 
  64  bits 
  double  word  (on  a  32-bit  machine) 
 
  The  fundamental  motivation  for  most  of  these  jargon  terms  (aside  from  the 
  normal  hackerly  enjoyment  of  punning  wordplay)  is  the  extreme  ambiguity 
  of  the  term  `word'  and  its  derivatives. 
 
 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  nybble 
 
  {nibble} 
 
 




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