[asinclair]

Code is not inherently binary. Our modern computer systems use binary-mode calculations almost exclusively. This was not always the case. For example, there have been computers that use decimal calculations. The IBM System/360 et al had decimal operations as part of its instruction set. The IBM 1620 went further: the computer nicknamed "The CADET -- Can't Add, Doesn't Even Try" didn't calculate, it exclusively used table lookup for its operations, which means that mathematicians could do calculations in a variety of base notations -- I knew one PhD who explored calculations in base seven.

Further, the underlying electronics did not have to be two-state, or "binary". Some research computer were built that used trinary, or three-state, circuits: 0, 1, and 2; or in the basic theory -1, 0, 1. Not very useful, as it turns out.

Calculating machines (pre-electronics) in wide use even today do their calculations in base 10. You see this in handle-powered adding machines even today, although these tend to be hard to find in any store.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

I suppose that the old-fashioned manual cash registers in the grocery stores worked in base 10, too.