29 Sep
2026
29 Sep
'26
12:44 p.m.
On 2026-09-29 11:36 a.m., Paul Koning via cctalk wrote:
True, but in 60's and 70's only PL/1 or subsets of it could do binary
and decimal computing in a high level language.I have not looked at any
newer languages cause nothing would ever port.
On Sep 29, 2026, at 1:22 PM, ben via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
... Like what machines other than IBM had binary and decimal computing?
That depends. One answer is "all of them" -- because any general purpose
computer can do both. If you meant "had machine instructions both for
decimal and for binary arithmetic", the answer includes the PDP-11 and VAX, and I
think the Intel 4004 had instructions used as building blocks in decimal arithmetic.
You must of had a custom PDP 11 then.
By the way, on the subject of good books, Bell &
Newell, "Computer structures: readings and examples" is very good. It
categorizes computers a number of different ways, and covers a range of examples touching
on most of the categories. The Google search mentions an authorized online copy at Gordon
Bell's website:
https://gordonbell.azurewebsites.net/cgb%20files/computer%20structures%20re…
And here is the table of contents: https://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/bell-71-t-o-c.html
Apparently there is a second edition. I'm pretty sure I have the first edition.
I have been looking for that for ages, on the web. I had copy until a
hard drive crash.
Lots of neat machines in there. Mainstream ones like
the PDP-8 and IBM 360, stack machines (Burroughs 5500), vector processing (SIMD) machines
(Illiac IV), and oddballs like the very early Dutch computer ZEBRA (a Dutch acronym for
"extremely simple binary computer"). That one could be considered a
microprogrammed machine where the horizontal microcode is what you use to write your
applications.
Since I learned about printing and typesetting at one point, I found it fascinating that
this book comes in an unusual format: it is only one of two books I have ever seen that is
square (the other being "Powers of ten" -- wonderful also).
paul