Talk:Computing Units

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Kilobytes vs Kibibytes

Cube, while I realize that, for example, 1024 bytes is a KiB and not a KB by their original definitions, I think the incorrect usage has become so mainstream that it will just confuse people to say that a KB is undisputedly 1000 bytes. I'm not against mentioning the existence of KiB vs KB, but perhaps not in such a forceful way. For example, we could have a paragraph in the Important Note section briefly explaining the original definitions (10^3), and common usage definitions (2^10), and then state that the article will use common usage definitions. I think this would explain the reality of the situation without confusing the issue too much. What do you think? --HexMonkey 16:13, 26 November 2005 (EST)

I've been on computers since 1977, and this might be the second time I've ever come across a "MiB" unit, and the first time I don't remember what the hell it was or where I saw it. I think it's well understood that, in the world of computers, things happen in groups of 1024, versus 1000. My disk drive currently uses 58,146,296,808 which properly (in my mind) equates to 54.15 GB, not 58 GiB or whatever that thing is. --Mainstreetmark 10:26, 27 November 2005 (EST)

I take it you haven't met my grandparents. --Mechcozmo 21:15, 27 November 2005 (EST)

Perhaps the Bits And Bytes article would be a good place to also note the differences between KB and KiB? That's what the article was made for, anywhoo. --Mechcozmo 21:15, 27 November 2005 (EST)

In the absence of a response from Cube, I've reverted the article to using the mainstream definitions and tried to explain the confusion in the Important Note section. --HexMonkey 06:26, 28 December 2005 (EST)

Well, I've finally noticed this silly "kibobyte" thing in the BitTorrent application. I'm sure whoever made it up was just trying to avoid confusion, but now even I am confused. I've always just accepted the dual-definition sense of the word "kilobyte". Of course, your special note seems only to apply to the "Space and Memory" section, as the "Transfer Rate" section still has a 2^10 kilobyte definition. To be absolutely correct, shouldn't it be KiBps instead of KBps? --Mainstreetmark 09:26, 28 December 2005 (EST)

The important note applies to both the Space and Memory section and the Transfer Rate section, since both use mainstream definitions rather than the official definitions. Yes, by the official definitions 1 KBps = 1000 Bps and 1 KiBps = 1024 Bps. --HexMonkey 19:27, 28 December 2005 (EST)

FLOPS

Perhaps there should be a section on Gigaflops/teraflops etc? I've heard the terms, but can never quite remember what they mean. Aren't they used as a measure of performance? --Jlukas 21:15, 29 December 2005 (EST)

Billion math equations per second and Trillion math equations per second. Or something like that. The old G3 ads made a big deal out of it. And yes, there should be a section on Gigaflops. --Mechcozmo 22:39, 29 December 2005 (EST)

Added. --HexMonkey 00:24, 30 December 2005 (EST)

kbps

The kilobyte thing is definitely ambiguous and confusing, but kilobits are almost always 1,000 bits, and kbps always means 1,000 bit/s. Your page is wrong. A 56K modem, for instance, operates at 56,000 bit/s. There is no "common usage" where kbps = 1,024 bps. I dare you to find a product that is labeled as such.

Better now? --HexMonkey 21:12, 10 March 2006 (EST)