Powell@HPSVAX.DEC.COM (Reed Powell) (08/08/88)
From: HPSVAX::POWELL "Reed B Powell HPS Mktg" Date: 8-AUG-1988 08:57 Subj: RE: WHY ARE (were) THERE 36 BITS? Assuming this makes it through the gateways (and anyone sees this)... The video in question was run at the 25th Anniversary of 36 bits in DECUS celebration. The video itself is an internal DEC video, and was presented after receiving special dispensations, etc., from the Powers That Be (now the Powers That Been). I doubt if I can get the OK to send out random copies. The direct answer to your question is "so we could store 2 addresses in one word for handling linked lists in LISP, and 18-bits was enough to hold the highest possible address anyone would ever conceivably want to address." Remember that a lot of the motivation for the architecture was from LISP needs. -reed -------