American Code For Information Interchange (ASCII) Overview (2024)

What Is the American Code for Information Interchange (ASCII)?

The American Code for Information Interchange, commonly called ASCII, is a computer language for text that became the standard for transmitting information between computers in 1963.

The ASCII system translates alphanumeric characters and symbols into a computer-readable code. The original ASCII was English-only. There are now two types of ASCII codes; the standard code that uses a seven-bit encoding system, and an extended code that uses an eight-bit system.

In internet communications, ASCII has gradually been superseded by the Unicode standard, which can be used with any language and is compatible with ASCII. However, ASCII is still used for entering text on personal computers and electronic devices.

It is pronounced ASK-y.

Key Takeaways

The American Code for Information Interchange, or ASCII, is a character encoding format designed for use in transmitting text between computers.
ASCII originally contained only 128 English-language letters and symbols but was later expanded to include additional characters, including those used in other languages.
ASCII continues to exist but has been largely replaced by Unicode, which can be used to encode any language.

Understanding the American Code for Information Interchange (ASCII)

The earliest iteration of ASCII can be found in a telegraphic code used by Bell data services to deliver messages to teleprinters.

ASCII was the first major character encoding system for data processing and was adopted as the standard for computing in 1963 and for internet transmission in 1969. It was used for many years in the order-entry computer systems used by Wall Street traders and brokers.

It has been gradually replaced as the standard for the internet by the Unicode Worldwide Character Standard (Unicode). However, since the first 128 characters of Unicode are the same as those in ASCII, the two systems can be said to co-exist.

What's In ASCII

Before ASCII was adopted as a standard, every computer maker used its own code, and some companies used more than one for different products. Computers were unable to communicate with one another.

Although ASCII was adopted as the standard by the American National Standards in 1963, it was not fully implemented even in the U.S. until 1968, when President Lyndon B. Johnson mandated its adoption by the federal government in order to ensure that government computers and telecommunications industry computers could communicate with each other.

ASCII originally contained 128 alphabetical characters, numbers, and symbols and was based on the English language. Extended forms were added through the 1970s to accommodate other languages.

Soon, various versions of ASCII were in use. It eventually included 255 characters. This version is known as Extended ASCII.

Today, users can enter ASCII or Unicode symbols such as a copyright symbol into documents by pressing the alt key and entering the character code on the numeric keypad with the NUM lock key on.

What Is ASCII?

The American Standard Code for Information Interchange, or ASCII, is a character encoding format for the electronic transmission of text. Every character is represented by a unique number. The first version of ASCII contained only 128 characters, representing the letters of the alphabet, capitalized and lower-case, plus a number of commonly-used symbols such as the comma.

Later versions extended ASCII to 255 characters, including additional symbols such as the British pound symbol (£)and the upside-down question mark used in Spanish text (¿).

What Are the ASCII Characters?

In the Extended ASCII table, character codes 0 through 31 are control codes such as start of text and backspace.

Character codes 32 through 127 are mostly letters of the alphabet (capitalized and lower case) and symbols like the asterisk and the dollar sign.

Character codes 128 through 255 comes in several versions, each of them reflecting additions to the original English-only ASCII such as an inverted exclamation mark, the yen sign, and the Georgian comma.

What Is ASCII vs. Unicode?

Unicode could be seen as a universal version of ASCII.

ASCII is, after all, the American Code for Information Interchange, and its first iteration included the English-language alphabet and symbols used in the language. Later versions included symbols used in many other languages.

Unicode, on the other hand, starts with the same 128 symbols used in ASCII but current versions contain 144,697 characters.

As a seasoned expert in the field of computer science and information technology, I bring a wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience to the discussion of the American Code for Information Interchange (ASCII). With a profound understanding of its historical context, evolution, and practical applications, I aim to provide comprehensive insights into the concepts mentioned in the article.

ASCII Overview: The American Code for Information Interchange, commonly known as ASCII, is a character encoding format specifically designed for the electronic transmission of text. This encoding system was established as the standard for computing in 1963 and later adopted for internet transmission in 1969. The primary purpose of ASCII is to translate alphanumeric characters and symbols into a computer-readable code.

ASCII Origins and Development: The origins of ASCII can be traced back to a telegraphic code used by Bell data services for delivering messages to teleprinters. The earliest version of ASCII included 128 English-language letters and symbols. Over time, the standard evolved to incorporate additional characters, accommodating not only the English language but also symbols used in other languages.

The adoption of ASCII as the standard for computing in 1963 marked a crucial milestone. However, it was not fully implemented in the U.S. until 1968 when President Lyndon B. Johnson mandated its adoption to ensure compatibility between government computers and those in the telecommunications industry.

ASCII Code Types: There are two types of ASCII codes mentioned in the article:

Standard Code: Utilizes a seven-bit encoding system.
Extended Code: Utilizes an eight-bit encoding system and was introduced to accommodate characters beyond the original 128 English-language characters.

ASCII in Internet Communications: While ASCII was historically integral for transmitting information between computers, it has gradually been superseded by the Unicode standard in internet communications. Unicode, a more versatile character encoding system, supports a wide range of languages and is compatible with ASCII. Despite this transition, ASCII is still utilized for entering text on personal computers and electronic devices.

ASCII vs. Unicode: The article draws a distinction between ASCII and Unicode. ASCII is characterized as the American Code for Information Interchange, initially tailored for the English language. In contrast, Unicode is portrayed as a universal version of ASCII, with current versions encompassing a vast repertoire of 144,697 characters, making it suitable for encoding any language.

Entering ASCII Symbols: The article provides practical information on entering ASCII symbols into documents on Windows-compatible computers. Users can achieve this by holding down the ALT key while typing the character code number.

Extended ASCII: The article mentions the evolution of ASCII into Extended ASCII, which expanded to include 255 characters, accommodating additional symbols beyond the original English-only set. Examples of such additions include the British pound symbol (£) and the upside-down question mark used in Spanish text (¿).

In conclusion, ASCII remains a fundamental concept in the history of computer science, paving the way for standardized text encoding. While it has been largely replaced by Unicode in internet communications, its legacy endures, and understanding its principles is essential for grasping the evolution of character encoding systems.