Nomenclature (was: NEXT Color Printer find

From: Pete Turnbull <pete_at_dunnington.u-net.com>
Date: Mon Dec 31 15:20:11 2001

On Dec 31, 11:47, Eric Dittman wrote:

> There was a recent thread on the linux-kernel mailing list about
> changing all references to KB, MB, etc. to the new standard KiB,
> MiB, etc. Some people were for the change, since the new names
> are unambiguous, while others think it is kind of ridiculous for
> a third-party to change the definitions that have been accepted
> for years. I'm in the camp that 1KB of RAM is 1024B, and 1MB of
> hard drive is 1024*1024B. That's what they've meant for years,
> and the hard drive manufacturers playing with specs and getting
> the public thinking 1MB=1000*1024B is not a good reason to change.

It's a bit silly, really. 'k' is the SI prefix for 'kilo', meaning 1000,
and 'K' was deliberately chosen for 2^10 or 1024 to be distinguishable.
 Pity about 'MB', though.

-- 
Pete						Peter Turnbull
						Network Manager
						University of York
Received on Mon Dec 31 2001 - 15:20:11 GMT

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