dread high-bit disease

1 definition found

dread high-bit disease - Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003) :

  dread high-bit disease
   n.
  
     A condition endemic to some now-obsolete computers and peripherals
     (including ASR-33 teletypes and PRIME minicomputers) that results in
     all characters having their high (0x80) bit forced on. This of course
     makes transporting files to other systems much more difficult, not to
     mention the problems these machines have talking with true 8-bit
     devices.
  
     This term was originally used specifically of PRIME (a.k.a. PR1ME)
     minicomputers. Folklore has it that PRIME adopted the reversed-8-bit
     convention in order to save 25 cents per serial line per machine;
     PRIME old-timers, on the other hand, claim they inherited the disease
     from Honeywell via customer NASA's compatibility requirements and
     struggled heroically to cure it. Whoever was responsible, this
     probably qualifies as one of the most cretinous design tradeoffs
     ever made. See meta bit.