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minus-squarebionicjoey@lemmy.calinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up3arrow-down6·3 months ago“binary digits” is an oxymoron. “Digit” implies decimal counting.
minus-squarePoach@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up10·3 months agoIs that why all digital computers use binary? This may actually be an example of where a word’s meaning had changed over time. Not sure of the etymology. Some random dictionary has “one of the elements that combine to form numbers in a system other than the decimal system” as one of the definitions. I spent way too long trying to prove something there…
minus-squarebdonvr@thelemmy.clublinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up5arrow-down1·3 months agoI think it’s because they use discrete numbers instead of varying voltages in analog systems. There have been digital computers built that use base 3.
“binary digits” is an oxymoron. “Digit” implies decimal counting.
Is that why all digital computers use binary?
This may actually be an example of where a word’s meaning had changed over time. Not sure of the etymology.
Some random dictionary has “one of the elements that combine to form numbers in a system other than the decimal system” as one of the definitions.
I spent way too long trying to prove something there…
I think it’s because they use discrete numbers instead of varying voltages in analog systems. There have been digital computers built that use base 3.
Bigit