How "special register groups" invaded computer dictionaries for decades (2019)
24 points by squadette
24 points by squadette
Looks like the special register group in question in the H-800 was 256 16-bit registers in core memory - which is interesting because the word size was 48 bits, and the main memory was in words.
16 bits :-)
Each special register group was 32 of the 256 special registers.
In addition to the main memory, the central processor includes the control memory of 256 special registers, used primarily for control purposes and address modification. A special register has the capacity to store a partial word consisting of 16 information bits and two checking bits.
https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_honeywellhefMan_11547601/page/n31/mode/1up