Warp wrote:
>   2's complement binary registers require simpler circuitry to be operated
> with, compared to BCD registers, hence making the CPU design simpler (and
> hence less expensive).

Until it's time to scale the decimal place.

Add a 30-digit number with two decimal places to a 30-digit number with 4 
decimal places in binary.

Now do the same in BCD.

But, surely, Intel's mainframe CPU division doesn't know anything about 
efficiency of instructions and data.

-- 
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
    C# - a language whose greatest drawback
    is that its best implementation comes
    from a company that doesn't hate Microsoft.

Post a reply to this message