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Guest
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 Posted:
Wed Dec 07, 2005 8:29 am Post subject:
why do computer scientists say 1KB=1024 bytes?!! |
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What's so special about 2^10 that computer scientists say it's 1k? The
SI system says 1k is 1000. 2^10 is not 1000, it is 1024.
Why not just say 1 KB = 2^9.965784285 bytes (= 1000)? If you're going
to nerd out, then nerd out completely, I say.
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Gregory L. Hansen
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Dec 07, 2005 8:29 am Post subject:
Re: why do computer scientists say 1KB=1024 bytes?!! |
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In article <1133922573.855472.297320@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com>,
<onehappymadman@yahoo.com> wrote:
| Quote: | What's so special about 2^10 that computer scientists say it's 1k? The
SI system says 1k is 1000. 2^10 is not 1000, it is 1024.
Why not just say 1 KB = 2^9.965784285 bytes (= 1000)? If you're going
to nerd out, then nerd out completely, I say.
|
1024 is close enough to 1000 for jargon. The meaning is determined from
the context. If you want to sling around a more exact jargon, then use
kibibyte, mebibyte, and gibibyte.
--
"What are the possibilities of small but movable machines? They may or
may not be useful, but they surely would be fun to make."
-- Richard P. Feynman, 1959 |
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Sam Wormley
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:08 am Post subject:
Re: why do computer scientists say 1KB=1024 bytes?!! |
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onehappymadman@yahoo.com wrote:
| Quote: | What's so special about 2^10 that computer scientists say it's 1k? The
SI system says 1k is 1000. 2^10 is not 1000, it is 1024.
Why not just say 1 KB = 2^9.965784285 bytes (= 1000)? If you're going
to nerd out, then nerd out completely, I say.
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You've got it backward... computer folks call 2^10 bytes a KB
2^20 bytes a MB
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Michael A. Terrell
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:35 am Post subject:
Re: why do computer scientists say 1KB=1024 bytes?!! |
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"[Mr.] Lynn Kurtz" wrote:
| Quote: |
On Wed, 7 Dec 2005 04:04:05 +0000 (UTC),
glhansen@steel.ucs.indiana.edu (Gregory L. Hansen) wrote:
1024 is close enough to 1000 for jargon. The meaning is determined from
the context. If you want to sling around a more exact jargon, then use
kibibyte, mebibyte, and gibibyte.
Hey, it isn't just in technical electronics. Ever measured a "2 by 4"?
--Lynn
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Yes, but then I've seen a real 2" * 4". Today they are using the
same code as "Quarter Pounder" (Weight before cooking) The lumber is
cut to 2" * 4" then planed down 1/4" on all four sides leaving 1.5" *
3.5". Have you ever seen 14" * 14" hand hewn oak beams used as the
corner posts in the corners of a house? A house I had in Ohio was built
with them. A 6" * 6" notch was cut into the inside corner, and the studs
were hand hewn 2" * 6" oak. they were over 100 years old and you
couldn't drive a nail into them. I had to drill pilot holes for drywall
screws when I replaced the damaged wood lath & horse hair plastered
walls with 4' * 12' sheets of drywall.
--
?
Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida |
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Pooh Bear
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:35 am Post subject:
Re: why do computer scientists say 1KB=1024 bytes?!! |
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onehappymadman@yahoo.com wrote:
| Quote: | What's so special about 2^10 that computer scientists say it's 1k? The
SI system says 1k is 1000. 2^10 is not 1000, it is 1024.
Why not just say 1 KB = 2^9.965784285 bytes (= 1000)? If you're going
to nerd out, then nerd out completely, I say.
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It's done because it's convenient and accurate enough for everyday use.
Hard disk makers quote *real* bytes btw since the number is bigger.
Graham |
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Pooh Bear
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:35 am Post subject:
Re: why do computer scientists say 1KB=1024 bytes?!! |
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Eric Gisse wrote:
| Quote: | Gregory L. Hansen wrote:
In article <1133922573.855472.297320@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com>,
onehappymadman@yahoo.com> wrote:
What's so special about 2^10 that computer scientists say it's 1k? The
SI system says 1k is 1000. 2^10 is not 1000, it is 1024.
Why not just say 1 KB = 2^9.965784285 bytes (= 1000)? If you're going
to nerd out, then nerd out completely, I say.
1024 is close enough to 1000 for jargon. The meaning is determined from
the context. If you want to sling around a more exact jargon, then use
kibibyte, mebibyte, and gibibyte.
It is "close enough" for the marketing assholes too.
My 300 "GB" harddrive manages to have only 270 actual gigs.
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It actually has probably 300 *real* decimal gigabytes but only 270 of those
computer Gigs.
Graham |
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Pooh Bear
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:35 am Post subject:
Re: why do computer scientists say 1KB=1024 bytes?!! |
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onehappymadman@yahoo.com wrote:
| Quote: | Gregory L. Hansen wrote:
In article <1133922573.855472.297320@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com>,
onehappymadman@yahoo.com> wrote:
What's so special about 2^10 that computer scientists say it's 1k? The
SI system says 1k is 1000. 2^10 is not 1000, it is 1024.
Why not just say 1 KB = 2^9.965784285 bytes (= 1000)? If you're going
to nerd out, then nerd out completely, I say.
1024 is close enough to 1000 for jargon. The meaning is determined from
the context. If you want to sling around a more exact jargon, then use
kibibyte, mebibyte, and gibibyte.
Sure... try saying "the store is 3 kibimeters east of here". Or buying
a 5 kibi-watt generator. How many cents per kibiwatt-hour is it in
your neck of the woods? :)
And don't even get me started on kb (kilobytes) vs kb (kilobits)!
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kb = kilobits
kB = kilobytes no confusion at all
etc etc....
Graham |
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Pooh Bear
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:35 am Post subject:
Re: why do computer scientists say 1KB=1024 bytes?!! |
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Ralph Wade Phillips wrote:
| Quote: | Howdy!
onehappymadman@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1133931290.510746.187120@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
And don't even get me started on kb (kilobytes) vs kb (kilobits)! My
laptop has a USB 1.1 (not 2.0) port, and I'm trying to calculate how
fast I can transfer data. I google it, and discover it can handle 12
mbps! Oh, wait a second, that's megaBITS per second, only 1.5
megaBYTES per second. Geez!
Because kb or Kb is KiloBITs - KB is KiloBYTES.
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And to be totally pedantic, the k prefix for 1000 is always lower case.
Upper case K means degrees Kelvin in the SI sytem of units. I can see how
American with their funny measures get confused though.
Graham |
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Pooh Bear
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:35 am Post subject:
Re: why do computer scientists say 1KB=1024 bytes?!! |
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"[Mr.] Lynn Kurtz" wrote:
| Quote: | On Wed, 7 Dec 2005 04:04:05 +0000 (UTC),
glhansen@steel.ucs.indiana.edu (Gregory L. Hansen) wrote:
1024 is close enough to 1000 for jargon. The meaning is determined from
the context. If you want to sling around a more exact jargon, then use
kibibyte, mebibyte, and gibibyte.
Hey, it isn't just in technical electronics. Ever measured a "2 by 4"?
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2 x 4 is the 'unplaned size' btw.
Graham |
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Eric Gisse
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:35 am Post subject:
Re: why do computer scientists say 1KB=1024 bytes?!! |
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Pooh Bear wrote:
| Quote: | Eric Gisse wrote:
Gregory L. Hansen wrote:
In article <1133922573.855472.297320@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com>,
onehappymadman@yahoo.com> wrote:
What's so special about 2^10 that computer scientists say it's 1k? The
SI system says 1k is 1000. 2^10 is not 1000, it is 1024.
Why not just say 1 KB = 2^9.965784285 bytes (= 1000)? If you're going
to nerd out, then nerd out completely, I say.
1024 is close enough to 1000 for jargon. The meaning is determined from
the context. If you want to sling around a more exact jargon, then use
kibibyte, mebibyte, and gibibyte.
It is "close enough" for the marketing assholes too.
My 300 "GB" harddrive manages to have only 270 actual gigs.
It actually has probably 300 *real* decimal gigabytes but only 270 of those
computer Gigs.
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Curiously enough, my computer measures things that are defined by
powers of two. However, my data storage seems to come in things that
are defined by powers of ten. I find that odd. Especially because it
isn't even consistant - RAM is sold in actual gigabytes and megabytes
instead of the marketing version of the gigabyte.
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zzbunker@netscape.net
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:35 am Post subject:
Re: why do computer scientists say 1KB=1024 bytes?!! |
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onehappymadman@yahoo.com wrote:
| Quote: | What's so special about 2^10 that computer scientists say it's 1k? The
SI system says 1k is 1000. 2^10 is not 1000, it is 1024.
Why not just say 1 KB = 2^9.965784285 bytes (= 1000)? If you're going
to nerd out, then nerd out completely, I say.
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They say that because a byte is eight bits.
It's doesn't really matter what SI, or Physics,
IEEE and ASCIII retards have to say about the issue. |
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Deefoo
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:35 am Post subject:
Re: why do computer scientists say 1KB=1024 bytes?!! |
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<onehappymadman@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1133922573.855472.297320@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: | What's so special about 2^10 that computer scientists say it's 1k? The
SI system says 1k is 1000. 2^10 is not 1000, it is 1024.
Why not just say 1 KB = 2^9.965784285 bytes (= 1000)? If you're going
to nerd out, then nerd out completely, I say.
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I've always been told that kilobytes is with a "K", a "k" meaning simply
1000 as in SI. This was before megabytes became common, though.
--DF |
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R. Pierce Butler
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:35 am Post subject:
Re: why do computer scientists say 1KB=1024 bytes?!! |
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onehappymadman@yahoo.com wrote in news:1133922573.855472.297320
@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:
| Quote: | What's so special about 2^10 that computer scientists say it's 1k? The
SI system says 1k is 1000. 2^10 is not 1000, it is 1024.
Why not just say 1 KB = 2^9.965784285 bytes (= 1000)? If you're going
to nerd out, then nerd out completely, I say.
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rounding |
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Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:35 am Post subject:
Re: why do computer scientists say 1KB=1024 bytes?!! |
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Gregory L. Hansen wrote:
| Quote: | In article <1133922573.855472.297320@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com>,
onehappymadman@yahoo.com> wrote:
What's so special about 2^10 that computer scientists say it's 1k? The
SI system says 1k is 1000. 2^10 is not 1000, it is 1024.
Why not just say 1 KB = 2^9.965784285 bytes (= 1000)? If you're going
to nerd out, then nerd out completely, I say.
1024 is close enough to 1000 for jargon. The meaning is determined from
the context. If you want to sling around a more exact jargon, then use
kibibyte, mebibyte, and gibibyte.
|
Sure... try saying "the store is 3 kibimeters east of here". Or buying
a 5 kibi-watt generator. How many cents per kibiwatt-hour is it in
your neck of the woods? :)
And don't even get me started on kb (kilobytes) vs kb (kilobits)! My
laptop has a USB 1.1 (not 2.0) port, and I'm trying to calculate how
fast I can transfer data. I google it, and discover it can handle 12
mbps! Oh, wait a second, that's megaBITS per second, only 1.5
megaBYTES per second. Geez!
Apparently the 480 mbps USB 2.0 handles only 40 megaBYTES per second.
And what's on the package of all those USB 2.0 PCI cards? You guessed
it... 480 mbps. Not 40 mbps.
I don't see the hard disk vendors bragging about their 800 gb drives!
Oh wait, that's 8 gigaBITs, only 100 gigaBYTEs...
On the other hand, buy some rechargeable NiMH AA batteries, and the
package says, "2500 mAh"! Sounds impressive. Two thousand five
hundred milli amp hours. I guess 2.5 Ah isn't impressive enough for
the marketing folks... |
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Eric Gisse
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:35 am Post subject:
Re: why do computer scientists say 1KB=1024 bytes?!! |
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Gregory L. Hansen wrote:
| Quote: | In article <1133922573.855472.297320@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com>,
onehappymadman@yahoo.com> wrote:
What's so special about 2^10 that computer scientists say it's 1k? The
SI system says 1k is 1000. 2^10 is not 1000, it is 1024.
Why not just say 1 KB = 2^9.965784285 bytes (= 1000)? If you're going
to nerd out, then nerd out completely, I say.
1024 is close enough to 1000 for jargon. The meaning is determined from
the context. If you want to sling around a more exact jargon, then use
kibibyte, mebibyte, and gibibyte.
|
It is "close enough" for the marketing assholes too.
My 300 "GB" harddrive manages to have only 270 actual gigs.
| Quote: |
--
"What are the possibilities of small but movable machines? They may or
may not be useful, but they surely would be fun to make."
-- Richard P. Feynman, 1959 |
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