Re: Using standardized SI prefixes
On Tue June 12 2007 01:20:30 am Josselin Mouette wrote:
> > "kilo" in "kilobyte" is not an SI prefix.
It is not even a prefix.
> "Kilo" is always a SI prefix.
In computing the "K" stands for "kilobyte", not "kilo" + "byte", and a
kilobyte has always been the number of memory locations addressable by
the A0-A9 bits on the address bus of a bytewide system... that's 1024
possible addresses, not 1000.
IOW, it is not just shorthand for an enumeration (as the SI prefixes
are) or a mathematical constant, it is the name of a physical constant.
"Kilobytes" naturally became the measure of capacity, (sadly) it may
also be natural that Marketing twisted its ambiguity with the SI prefix
in an attempt to get marketshare.
"1024" will go away when we stop using binary computers. :)
- Bruce
Reply to: