EIGHT-BIT CLEAN
\ˈe͡ɪtbˈɪt klˈiːn], \ˈeɪtbˈɪt klˈiːn], \ˈeɪ_t_b_ˈɪ_t k_l_ˈiː_n]\
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A term which describes a system that dealscorrectly with extended character sets which (unlike ASCII)use all eight bits of a byte. Many programs andcommunications systems assume that all characters have codesin the range 0 to 127. This leaves the top bit of each bytefree for use as a parity bit or some kind of flag bit.These assumptions break down when the program is used in somenon-english-speaking countries with larger alphabets.If a binary file is transmitted via a communications linkwhich is not eight-bit clean, it will be corrupted. To combatthis you can encode it with uuencode which uses only ASCIIcharacters. There are some links however which are not even"seven-bit clean" and cause problems even for uuencoded data.
By Denis Howe
Word of the day
Platidiam
- An inorganic water-soluble platinum complex. After undergoing hydrolysis, it reacts DNA produce both intra interstrand crosslinks. These crosslinks appear to impair replication and transcription of DNA. The cytotoxicity cisplatin correlates with cellular arrest in G2 phase cell cycle.