Ubuntu Desktop Unit Consistency (LP: #369525)

[Christopher Chan]

Mackenzie Morgan wrote:
> On Sunday 31 May 2009 9:12:37 pm Christopher Chan wrote:
>   
>> Disk storage is expressed in multiples of 1024 under any 
>> operating system. base-10 kilobytes/kilobits/whateverbytes/whateverbits 
>> are only used by disk manufacturers (hence the 'discrepancy' between 
>> that the label on the disk says and what the operating system says) and 
>> misconceptions of certain network equipment manufacturers (eg: 
>> 100megabit/1000megabit) being base-10.
>>     
>
> Are you sure?  Usually I see Windows users in #ubuntu complaining that Ubuntu 
> only sees 112GB of their 120GB drive while Windows sees all 120GB.  This then 
> results in an explanation that "no no, see Ubuntu says GiB, not GB, and that 
> little i in there means it's Gibibytes which the IEEE has decided means 1024-
> based, not 1000-based which is Gigabytes and the way the manufacturer measures 
> so that they can give you fewer Gibibytes and pretend it's just as many."
>
>   
Rubbish.

Properties on the C: Drive of one Windows computer reports:

Capacity:   62,915,133,440 bytes      58.5GB


Do you want to guess what might be on the label? FYI, different disk 
manufacturers claiming similar amounts of disk space will actually give 
you different amounts of disk space. That is, not all 60GB disks are the 
same unless from the same manufacturer and the same model at that too.

That has been the case for years and only recently have I heard this 
nonsense of base10 whateverbyte units in stuff other than misleading but 
covered my behind disk labels.