short answer to technical question?

[Mike McCarty]

Gerhard Magnus wrote:
> Hello All,
> 
> 	I don't know if there's a short answer to this... but what do "32 bit"
> and "64 bit" refer to and how can I tell which applies to my computer?
> 
> Jerry

Modern PC style computers all are binary. (Most calculators are
decimal.) The word "bit" is a contraction of "binary digit".
All computers have a natural word size, measured in digits.
This is the size of word which the computer can use without
special software. If the natural size of a computer word is
8 bits, then it is called an 8 bit computer. Examples are the
8080, Z80, 68HC11, and so on. Computers whose natural word
size is 16 bits are the 8086, Z8000, 68000, etc. The 80386
and later 80x86 machines up through the Pentium class machines
were all 32 bit machines. Now, some machines have a natural
word size of 64 bits.

The only way to tell is to know what the processor chip is.

Mike
-- 
p="p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}";main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}
This message made from 100% recycled bits.
You have found the bank of Larn.
I can explain it for you, but I can't understand it for you.
I speak only for myself, and I am unanimous in that!