why did computer science settle on base16 for compact binary representation over the doubly compact base32?

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For example colours #ff0000, Unicode points \u{003F} and others all use hex.

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Warning: Fuzzy memory below. For the source of everything I reference below, here is (I think) [the video](https://youtu.be/thrx3SBEpL8) I keep referencing

I watched a Computerphile episode that delved deep into the history of memory addressing and the choice of what numerical base to represent everything. In short, we think of base-10 because we have 10 fingers and 10 toes, but it really sucks trying to fit it to computer logic due to no great analog to base-10. If memory serves, thermionic valves were originally implemented using a base-5 numbering system, but they revisited the decision when implementing transistors as silicon, and went with a binary (base-2) representation. This was in part because the whole system was built on the idea of on/off or high/low voltages.

Again, really pulling from the deep memory here, but I believe in that same episode, Professor Brailsford mentioned that the origin of calling them bits (short for binary digits) was also the creation of the new term “digital” since it was the end of analog computing.

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