Date: Thu, 21 Feb 2002 14:08:36 +1100 From: Michael Wardle <michael.wardle@adacel.com> To: parv <parv_@yahoo.com> Cc: Giorgos Keramidas <keramida@ceid.upatras.gr>, Wouter Van Hemel <wouter@pair.com>, doc@freebsd.org Subject: Re: inconsistent use of data units Message-ID: <3C7464B4.70004@adacel.com> References: <3C743707.3080505@adacel.com> <20020221003116.GA11893@hades.hell.gr> <3C744D39.1020308@adacel.com> <1014256250.304.66.camel@cocaine> <3C745639.8080509@adacel.com> <20020221022225.GA12900@hades.hell.gr> <3C745D8B.9090808@adacel.com> <20020221025358.GB2678@moo.holy.cow>
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parv wrote:
> in message <3C745D8B.9090808@adacel.com>,
> wrote Michael Wardle thusly...
>
>>Despite there being some disagreement with what the prefixes (K, M, ...)
>>are, (byte = "B") and (bit = "b") are the most used notations. In this
>>light, I would suggest "Kb" and "Mb" for kilobyte and megabyte in your
>>notation.
>
> "b" for "byte"? are you mad? even 'B' & 'bit' example given earlier
> is saner.
See? Even I'm getting confused! :-P
As the first part of my comment suggested, lowercase for bit, uppercase
for byte. Sorry for any confusion.
> i don't have problem using either 'k' or 'K' for representing 'kilo'
> (1024). i have seen/used 'k' for 'kilo' but haven't seen any usage
> 'm' for 'mega' only 'M'.
>
> (note to self: having said that, i feel very odd that i had used 'k'
> instead of 'K' while using 'M' for 'mega'. so, to be self
> consistent, i will use 'K' instead henceforth.)
The SI prefixes define {k,M,G,T,...}. I don't know why lowercase "k"
was chosen, while the rest were uppercase. (I suspect it's to do with
kelvin ("K") being the unit of absolute temperature, but this has made
the standard inconsistent. Nonetheless, that's how it is.)
> and ... unless noted otherwise, in computer context, i do not ever
> assume 'kilo' to represent 1000 number, only 1024.
This is part of the problem. kilo only ever means 1000, and to use it
otherwise is incorrect. You can not steal SI prefixes and redefine them
how you wish.
--
MICHAEL WARDLE | WORK +61-2-6024-2699
SGI Desktop & Admin Software | MOBILE +61-415-439-838
Adacel Technologies Limited | WEB http://www.adacel.com/
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