A VAX computer is based on a 32 bit architecture. Data can be addressed as bytes (8 bits), words (16 bits), longwords (32 bits), quadwords (64 bits) or octawords (128 bits). The terminology is a hangover from the PDP-11 series of computers and the basic unit of storage on a VAX is the longword. References to FORTRAN and C in this subsection refer to the VAX FORTRAN and VAX C compilers produced by DEC.
CNF and F77 Mixed Language Programming -- FORTRAN and C