Binary-coded decimal Binary-coded decimal In computing and electronic systems, binary-coded decimal (BCD) is a class of binary encodings of decimal numbers where each decimal digit is represented by a fixed number of bits, usually four or eight. Special bit patterns are sometimes used for a sign or for other indications (e.g., error or overflow). In byte-oriented systems (i.e. most modern computers), the term "unpacked" BCD usually implies a full byte for each digit (often including a sign), whereas "packed" BCD typically encodes two decimal digits within a single byte by taking advantage of the fact that four bits are enough to represent
Byte (magazine) resumed publication after a few years of interruption. The Arabic edition also ended abruptly. Many of "Byte"'s columnists migrated their writing to personal web sites. One was science fiction author Jerry Pournelle's weblog "The View From Chaos Manor" derived from a long-standing column in "Byte", describing computers from a power user's point of view. After the closure of "Byte" magazine, Pournelle's column continued to be published in the Turkish editions of "PC World", which was soon renamed as "PC Life" in Turkey. "Byte Japan", with the name licensed from McGraw Hill, was the leading computer magazine in Japan, Published by