meta bit


:meta bit: n. The top bit of an 8-bit character, which is on in character values 128-255. Also called high bit , alt bit , or (rarely) hobbit Some terminals and consoles (see space-cadet keyboard have a META shift key. Others (including, _mirabile dictu_, keyboards on IBM PC-class machines) have an ALT key. See also bucky bits

Historical note: although in modern usage shaped by a universe of 8-bit bytes the meta bit is invariably hex 80 (octal 0200), things were different on earlier machines with 36-bit words and 9-bit bytes. The MIT and Stanford keyboards (see space-cadet keyboard generated hex 100 (octal 400) from their meta keys.


Jargon File Version 4.3.1, 29 JUN 2001 =

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