Re: About "set bits"

[Xue Fuqiao <xfq.free@gmail.com>]

On Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:37:19 -0400
Barry Margolin <barmar@alum.mit.edu> wrote:

> In article <mailman.23883.1365607222.855.help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org>,
>  Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> wrote:
> 
> > > Date: Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:46:27 +0800
> > > From: Xue Fuqiao <xfq.free@gmail.com>
> > > 
> > > In (info "(elisp) Bindat Spec"):
> > > 
> > >   `bits LEN'
> > >      List of set bits in LEN bytes.  The bytes are taken in big endian
> > >      order and the bits are numbered starting with `8 * LEN - 1' and
> > >      ending with zero.  For example: `bits 2' unpacks `#x28' `#x1c' to
> > >      `(2 3 4 11 13)' and `#x1c' `#x28' to `(3 5 10 11 12)'.
> > > 
> > > I don't know what "set bits" means here.
> > 
> > It means bits that are set, i.e. their value is 1.

I see, thanks.

> Xue's questions about documentation often seem to suggest that he 
> doesn't know how to parse English.  He frequently tries to interpret 
> phrases as computer or Emacs jargon, when they just have the meaning the 
> words imply.

I think you're right, and I'm trying to improve this problem.

-- 
Xue Fuqiao
http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/