Re: fdisk units size & disk manufacturers buying the standard

[Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net>]

Linda Walsh composed on 2014-12-08 13:35 (UTC-0800):

> ...A bit isn't a physical unit,...

On a HD it has to be physical, a magnetically manipulated location on
physical media, which happens to be used in groups of 8 termed a byte,
without which the device couldn't do what it was designed to do. HD makers
logically count these groups of 8 using the same numbers most mortals use for
counting, decimals.

> ...so their argument that physical prefixes should apply to
> virtual base-2 quantities becomes even more nonsensical.

> But SI overstepped their bounds, unless they want to define the 'bit' and the 'Byte' as
> metric units and keep a representation of them in some clean room in Paris (or
> the modern equivalent).

Whether SI got the Bs & bs right I won't get into, but they did get logically
correct exposing the hijacking of the centuries old decimal concepts
represented by K, M, G, T, et al, and interjecting "i" to delineate a
considerably less ambiguous powers of two counting system.
-- 
"The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant
words are persuasive." Proverbs 16:21 (New Living Translation)

 Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409 ** a11y rocks!

Felix Miata  ***  http://fm.no-ip.com/