[rescue] ATMmmming

[dave at cca.org]

jdboyd at cs.millersville.edu writes:

>53bytes is prime, which is pretty stupid.  Ideally it would a multiple
>of 2, 4 or 8 bytes.  But, also stupid is that the payload on that 53byte
>packet is 48 bytes.  Why 48 bytes?  Because certain countries couldn't
>decide between 64bytes and 32 byte payloads.  Reportedly, telecom people
>wanted 32bytes and datacom people wanted 64bytes.  So the committee
>compromised at 48 bytes, which in either case (datacom or telecom) is
>worse than the other options.

>From what I've read, it was entirely designed for telecom, with
US telecom wanting 64 bits and Europe wanting 32. Averaging the 
two to come up with 48 seems like a far worse decision than just
flipping a coin.

------ David Fischer ------- dave at cca.org ------- http://www.cca.org ------
------------------------ Drink Your Ovaltine! -----------------------------