dread high-bit disease

dread high-bit disease n.  A condition endemic to PRIME
   (a.k.a.  PR1ME) minicomputers that results in all the characters
   having their high (0x80) bit ON rather than OFF.  This of course
   makes transporting files to other systems much more difficult, not
   to mention talking to true 8-bit devices.  Folklore had it that
   PRIME adopted the reversed-8-bit convention in order to save 25
   cents per serial line per machine; PRIME old-timers, on the other
   hand, claim they inherited the disease from Honeywell via customer
   NASA's compatibility requirements and struggled heroically to cure
   it.  Whoever was responsible, this probably qualifies as one of the
   most {cretinous} design tradeoffs ever made.  See {meta bit}.
   A few other machines have exhibited similar brain damage.