Comment #1 posted on 2024-04-15 20:11:04 by Windigo
Very enjoyable episode
I can't wait to find out what happens in the sequel, HPR 8192.
Comment #2 posted on 2024-04-17 15:32:11 by brian-in-ohio
Another example
One use of powers of 2 is mentioned in Ender's Game. Ender runs through the powers of 2 to calm himself down, a nerdy way of counting to 10. Enjoyable show
Comment #3 posted on 2024-04-17 18:40:42 by Dave Morriss
8388607
Great show, thanks. It got me looking at /etc/services to remind myself about assigned port numbers!
Back in the 1970's when I abandoned my Biology PhD and got a job instead, I ended up working in the computer service department at Lancaster University in the North West of England where we had an ICL 1900 series mainframe. This was a 24-bit machine (using _magnetic core_ memory), running an operating system called GEORGE 3.
When somebody left, I stumbled into working as an assembly language programmer (using the PLAN assembler) because we had source access to the operating system (on MicroFiche) and were enhancing it, with other universities in the region, to implement an early form of networking, the GANNET network.
Burnt into my memory from that day to this is the value of 2**24 - 1 = 8388607
This of course is the largest signed integer that can be stored in 24 bits :-)
Oh, and because I was looking in the HPR database today, I feel that I am in the presence of greatness because not only is the show number 4096, the duration (in seconds) is 1024. ;-)
Dave
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