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Subject:Hexadecimal Numbers From:Dan Strychalski <dski -at- CAMEONET -dot- CAMEO -dot- COM -dot- TW> Date:Thu, 26 Jun 1997 10:10:59 +0800
> Is there a standard technique for representing hex numbers? If not,
> what techniques or guidelines have you followed in the past?
Many of the techniques you listed are specific to particular programming
languages or other technical contexts (you also missed at least two that
fall into this category: %20 [used on the Unix command line] and =20
[used in MIME "quoted-printable" encoding]). Such techniques can be
eliminated from consideration unless the program is intended for use by
people working in one of these contexts.
The most generic representation might be that used in mathematics texts.
The only reference I have here at the office is a 1981 British handbook
of basic mathematics, which recommends using a "small suffix," that is,
a following inferior figure, set solid -- for example, 20 followed
immediately by a subscripted 16. In computer-related material not
specific to any particular system, I've seen 20 followed by a
subscripted uppercase H; the form "20h" seems to be an attempt to follow
this convention where subscripts are unavailable. One of these might be
a good choice, depending on what kind of people and what kind of work
the program is for. I personally am partial to "20h," but I'm partial to
much from the CP/M era....
Daniel N. Strychalski -+=%# -at- #%=+- dski -at- cameonet -dot- cameo -dot- com -dot- tw
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