60bit

60bit is a term that generally refers to a computer system or architecture that uses 60-bit memory addressing or data paths. This is a departure from the more common 32-bit or 64-bit architectures that dominate modern computing. Systems utilizing 60-bit addressing can, in theory, access a significantly larger amount of memory than their 32-bit counterparts, although typically less than theoretical 64-bit systems.

Historically, the most prominent example of a 60-bit architecture was found in some IBM mainframe computers, such as the IBM System/360 and its successors. These systems were designed with specific memory management requirements in mind that led to the adoption of this non-standard word size. The 60-bit architecture allowed for a substantial address space and was well-suited for the complex business and scientific computations performed on these powerful machines.

While 60-bit architectures were significant in their time, they have largely been superseded by 64-bit systems. The widespread adoption of 64-bit computing has provided ample memory addressing capabilities for most applications and has become the industry standard. Consequently, 60-bit systems are now considered a legacy technology, primarily of historical interest within the field of computer architecture.