[Tutor] Bits operations [another version of binary() using hex()]

Thomas Clive Richards thomi@thomi.imail.net.nz
Sat Jul 12 04:57:02 2003


hey...

> I suspect you can do the same using octal and it would
> be a smaller table. Personally thats how I generate binary
> strings - convert to octal then do a digit by digit conversion
> to binary... Its about the only use I have for octal!

The small trouble that i have with using octal as an intermediate step
between decimal and binary is that one octal digit represents 3 binary
digits, and this is not easily divisible into an 8 or 16 bit binary
number. It's nothing a computer can't handle, but it seems easier to use
hex, esp. as you have to do fewer conversions, and thereby limit the
chances for a stuff up.

again, it's nothing a computer would have trouble with, only us less
intelligent humans ;)


-- 

Thomi Richards,
thomi@thomi.imail.net.nz