> I seriously wasn't expecting to see 128-bit processors in my lifetime
> (or at least before my retirement). 

Similarly, I was quite surprised when developing the IEEE decimal formats 
to find that -- almost without exception -- everyone in the industry has 
gone for the 128-bit format (34 digits).  That length (quad) is also now 
in the standard for binary, too (and of course is already in IBM 
processors, for both binary and decimal).   So -- at least for arithmetic 
-- 128-bit processors are here already.

So maybe this is more about arithmetic sizes rather than address space. 

> Just for the giggle factor, 2*128 bytes would require a stack of punch
> cards approximately 1.37x10**17 LIGHT YEARS tall!

<chuckle>  But it's the holes that matter ....

Mike





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