[no subject]

Haven't you ever noticed that a Mac spins a disk backwards when writing?
This is because the 68xxx  processor achitecture used in Macs prefers
to output hi/lo byte order rather than lo/hi byte order.  It thus writes
backwards so that when reading it can get the lo/hi byte order.  Of
course the bits are backwards, but the wiring is also, so the bytes
come out all right after all.  

The PowerPC's use a different scheme altogether.  They put odd bits in
one byte and even bits in the other.  The drive then s-t-u-t-t-e-r-s
during read/writes so the bits come in in the correct order.  A 64-bit
word byte is also used to indicate which byte (lo/hi) the bit belongs in.
This is a timing device used so that the processor does not need to slow
down while waiting for the next bit to show up on the buss.  It uses the
extra time to decide where the next bit will go.  Very clever.  Even
the Woz would be dumb-founded by the simplicity.

Have a happy April 1st ;-)

This discussion is brought to you as an alternative to Cold Fusion.

I would like to thank Steve Disbrow (Diz) for whatever he did to
Mr/Ms/It Cold Fusion.  Thank You, Diz - even you don't know what you
did.  I wish you more opportunities to do it, again, and again, and again,
and ...

(Sorry for using bandwidth.  I just need some humor to unwind with!)

  --Steve  (steven-nelson@uiowa.edu)