Linux Format forums

Bazza

Hi all...

Not sure if anyone is interested but........

http://www.neowin.net/news/ubuntu-implements-units-policy-will-switch-to-base-10-units-in-future-release
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Bazza, G0LCU...

Team AMIGA...

Oyster · Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 11:51 am Post subject:

Sounds fine to me, as long as it's consistent so people know what they're looking at.

shinso · Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:47 pm Posts: 13 Location: UK

First the Mac like close, minimise and maximise buttons in 10.4, and now base-10 units like Mac.

I really can't understand why they are doing this.
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nordle · LXF regular Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2005 10:56 pm Posts: 1497

I never understood as a kid why the olds had so much trouble with millimeters, centimeters etc Couldn't appreciate the whole decimalisation, shillings etc changes they had to get used to.

"Sweet its going to be a balmy 25c tomorrow"

"What's that in real money?" was the reply.

Well, I guess I'm going to start to have a basic idea of the annoyance.

Then again, its just a case of remembering..... wonder if all the apps, such as the media burning apps, and drive partition apps will all get sorted together....
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Rhakios · Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 11:52 pm Post subject:

nelz · Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 1:06 am Post subject:

I'm not Ubuntu's biggest fan, but they are doing the right thing here. The SI units are defined as powers of 10, not 2, so using k to represent 1024 is corrupting a standard. The current situation, where some use binary and some use decimal units is confusing. To take Nordle's currency analogy, it like some quoting prices with VAT and some without, but not telling you which.

If you want to represent 1024, use the correct prefix, kibi, kilo has been defined as 1000 for hundreds of years. The confusion only arises because this situation was allowed to continue for far too long. All power to Ubuntu for taking a stand on this.
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"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." (Albert Einstein)

shinso · Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:47 pm Posts: 13 Location: UK

nelz: I understand, but why base 10?
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nelz · Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 10:56 am Post subject:

Because that's what SI metric units have been defined in for hundreds of years. kilo has meant 100 since Adam was a lad, why corrupt it to mean something else because you can't be bothered to think up your own prefix?

How would you feel if your employer decided to make an hour 66 minutes, but still expect you to work the same number of hours for the same pay? What time would you turn up when someone said "see you in half an hour"?
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"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." (Albert Einstein)

shinso · Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:47 pm Posts: 13 Location: UK

Hrm it will be interesting to see how this plays out.
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ollie · Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 12:57 pm Post subject:

Bazza · Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 1:06 pm Post subject:

Hi ollie...

> Perhaps this is getting ready for quantum computing :D

I wonder how many quantum corruptions will occur with
the transition?

;oD
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Bazza, G0LCU...

Team AMIGA...

gn2 · LXF regular Joined: Sun Dec 14, 2008 10:34 pm Posts: 135

nelz · Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 10:59 am Post subject:

Ten, which is why I can count to 1023 on them Smile

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"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." (Albert Einstein)

Bazza · Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 12:20 pm Post subject:

Hi nelz...

> Ten, which is why I can count to 1023 on them :)

ROTFLMAO...
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73...

Bazza, G0LCU...

Team AMIGA...

shinso · Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:47 pm Posts: 13 Location: UK