Things Every Hacker Once Knew (2017) (catb.org)

Article summary

The article discusses the evolution of computer technology and the loss of knowledge about older systems, such as ASCII, RS-232, and serial terminals. It highlights how these technologies were once ubiquitous but have since become obsolete, taking with them a certain cultural commonality. The author notes that understanding these older systems is still important for cultural literacy and can be useful in certain contexts. The article also touches on the history of computer architecture, including 36-bit machines and the use of octal representations.

Main themes

• ASCII and character encodings
• RS-232 and serial terminals
• computer architecture and history
• cultural literacy and nostalgia
• evolution of technology
• UTF-8 and Unicode

What commenters say

• The article's discussion of older computer technologies is nostalgic and relevant to understanding the development of modern systems.
• The use of ASCII and RS-232 is still present in some modern technologies, such as cellular modems.
• The representation of ASCII as an 8-bit format is not universally defined and can be ambiguous.
• The concept of 'ASCII' can be overloaded and refer to different encodings, including 7-bit and 8-bit formats.
• The discussion of UTF-8 and ASCII highlights the complexity of character encodings and their representations.
• Some commenters disagree on the definition and representation of ASCII, with some arguing it is a 7-bit character set and others considering it an 8-bit format.
• The article's focus on the history of computer technology is seen as valuable for understanding the context of modern systems, but some commenters argue that it does not adequately tie this history to modern developments.