Full Form of EBCDIC
Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code
EBCDIC Full Form is Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code. The operating systems like the IBM midrange computer and the IBM mainframe use a character encoding of eight bits. This encoding is called EBCDIC or Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code. Numerous other non-IBM platforms like the MCP, Sigma Series of the SDS, MSP, and OS-IV also supports this encoding. The IBM was responsible for devising the EBCDIC in the years 1960 and 1964. When the mainframe computers of the IBM System of the 360 line were released, this encoding was announced to the public. The creation of the EBCDIC led to the expanding of the BCDIC or the Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code.
All peripherals of the midrange and mainframe of IBM utilize EBCDIC. The encodings are translated by numerous hardware peripherals and software. The zSeries of IBM and other modern mainframes can also do the same at the hardware level for accelerating the translation of encoding between different sets of characters. The Unicode consortium has proposed UTF-EBCDIC, which is a format of Unicode Transformation and is EBCDIC Oriented. The EBCDIC software can be updated easily by this form for handling the Unicode. It cannot be used in environments that are subjected to open interchanges. It is not used extensively on systems that provide extensive support to EBCID.
The z/OS, for instance, prefers UTF-16, which is a form of the Unicode. But it only provides limited support to the UTF-EBCDIC. The difference in the code points between the ASCII and EBCDIC does not pose much problem. On the other hand, putting numbers after letters and putting uppercase letters after the lowercase letters create difficulties. The lack of codes in the EBCDIC leads to a hindrance in the exchange of data and portability of software for numerous symbols that are utilized in network communities and programming.