Re: Bad Metric ... 1k = 1024 or 1000?

["Greg J. Buchner" <buchner@tcfreenet.org>]

On Sat, 23 Oct 1999, Rubywand wrote:

> That, in 1999, OS's still commonly use 1024 for "k" just illustrates an
> instance of sloppiness-- a flaw needing to be corrected.

I don't think it's going to change as long as block sizes on hard drives
stay at 512 bytes (or whatever multiple thereof) and that block sizes that
OSes use also stay at multiples of 512 bytes (Of the various HFS Plus
partitions I have on various Macs, I have two that use 512 byte blocks,
one that used 2048 byte blocks and two that use 4096 byte blocks.) Until
this changes, which it won't, have 1000 byte logical blocks on drives
that use 512 byte physical blocks just won't work.

Also, most people (even my Dad) seem to grasp the fact that 1K=1024 on
the computer when it's explained to them.  We shouldn't go around changing
things just because of a lack of knowledge on some people's part.

Greg B.

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