by Anonymous on March 10th, 2007
A bit (short for binary digit) is the smallest unit of data in a computer. A bit has a single binary value, either 0 or 1.
A byte is a unit of data that is eight binary digits long. A byte is the unit most computers use to represent a character such as a letter, number, or typographic symbol (for example, "g", "5", or "?"). A byte can also hold a string of bits that need to be used in some larger unit for application purposes (for example, the stream of bits that constitute a visual image for a program that displays images or the string of bits that constitutes the machine code of a computer program).
In some computer systems, four bytes constitute a word, a unit that a computer processor can be designed to handle efficiently as it reads and processes each instruction. Some computer processors can handle two-byte or single-byte instructions.
http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid5_gci211721,00.html
by branciforte3241 on March 10th, 2007
Just to clarify: an "octet" is a collection of eight bits. A "byte" is a basic unit of addressable storage in a computer system and generally corresponds with the size of a single character, usually between six and nine bits. Basically, it is the number of bits stored between sucessive memory locations. In this modern day and age, virtually all computers have a byte size of eight bits (they all use octets). I also seem to remember there being a "nibble" or "nybble" which is half a byte.
by mikol on March 10th, 2007
a bit is a binary digit which is the basic unit of informational storage
a byte is a colletion of bits (pretty much just the plural of bit)
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bit
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Comments
Nice, complete and correct answer.
by science_geek has left the building on March 10th, 2007
Thanks
by Anonymous on March 10th, 2007
A byte is *usually*, but not always, eight bits long. 8 bit bytes are the norm these days, but there are still exceptions. "Word" is most commonly used to describe a larger group of bits, but has no standard size. IA-32 architecture (what Intel uses for their procesessors) a word is a 16 bit byte.
by Anonymous on March 11th, 2007
I used to program (macine language)certain really archaic (now) microcontrollers that had 4 bit bytes.
by science_geek has left the building on March 11th, 2007
That's right. A four bit byte is now usually referred to as a "nibble".
by Anonymous on March 11th, 2007
Correct, it was called that even then, I had forgotten that, it was back in the early '80s
by science_geek has left the building on March 11th, 2007