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I'm writing this after reading Shaneo's post on RAM. Most people, when buying things that involve binary maths make this kind of mistake:
They think that 32MB of RAM is 32,000 Bytes of RAM.
Not true, it would actually be 32,864 KB.
In the same way that 1 KiloByte is not 1000 Bytes, it's 1024 Bytes.
This is because of how the bits/bytes mathematics works.
The most basic unit of storage is a bit. Next up is a Nibble, which is a collection of 4 bits, then a Byte which is 8 bits.
The memory then keeps doubling: 16 bits, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024 which is considered a Kilobit. It carries on doubling, the difference between the actual and the stated values increasing all the time.
For 1 Kb, the difference is 24 bits (1024-1000). However, this error keeps increasing. If you think you have 32 MB of memory, the way the maths works out, you actually have 33,652,736 bits, and a positive error (i.e. more than you think) of 1,652,736 bits.
I made sure to use the correct letters in that last paragraph. A KiloByte (KB) is 8 times larger than a Kilobit (Kb). Now, this is where you need to be careful. Modems normally have their transfer rates in Kb, because then the number is larger and people think it is faster.
EG:
ISDN connections operate at 128Kb. Now, some people would think that it is 128 KiloBytes. It's not, it's 128 Kilobits.
For starters its actually 131,456 bits. To get this to Bytes, divide by 8, which gives us 16,432 Bytes. Which is a transfer rate of 16 KB. Slightly slower than the 128KB some people may have thought it was!
All in all there are bonuses and negatives that result from this. For starters, you'll probably actuall have more RAM and HD space than you think you have. On the negative side of things, you have to be careful when buying modems and network equipment to make sure all the figures are correct.
They think that 32MB of RAM is 32,000 Bytes of RAM.
Not true, it would actually be 32,864 KB.
In the same way that 1 KiloByte is not 1000 Bytes, it's 1024 Bytes.
This is because of how the bits/bytes mathematics works.
The most basic unit of storage is a bit. Next up is a Nibble, which is a collection of 4 bits, then a Byte which is 8 bits.
The memory then keeps doubling: 16 bits, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024 which is considered a Kilobit. It carries on doubling, the difference between the actual and the stated values increasing all the time.
For 1 Kb, the difference is 24 bits (1024-1000). However, this error keeps increasing. If you think you have 32 MB of memory, the way the maths works out, you actually have 33,652,736 bits, and a positive error (i.e. more than you think) of 1,652,736 bits.
I made sure to use the correct letters in that last paragraph. A KiloByte (KB) is 8 times larger than a Kilobit (Kb). Now, this is where you need to be careful. Modems normally have their transfer rates in Kb, because then the number is larger and people think it is faster.
EG:
ISDN connections operate at 128Kb. Now, some people would think that it is 128 KiloBytes. It's not, it's 128 Kilobits.
For starters its actually 131,456 bits. To get this to Bytes, divide by 8, which gives us 16,432 Bytes. Which is a transfer rate of 16 KB. Slightly slower than the 128KB some people may have thought it was!
All in all there are bonuses and negatives that result from this. For starters, you'll probably actuall have more RAM and HD space than you think you have. On the negative side of things, you have to be careful when buying modems and network equipment to make sure all the figures are correct.
Page:
One day they will surely do away with Decimals.
I'm writing this after reading Shaneo's post on RAM. Most people, when buying things that involve binary maths make this kind of mistake:
They think that 32MB of RAM is 32,000 Bytes of RAM.
Not true, it would actually be 32,864 KB.
In the same way that 1 KiloByte is not 1000 Bytes, it's 1024 Bytes.
This is because of how the bits/bytes mathematics works.
The most basic unit of storage is a bit. Next up is a Nibble, which is a collection of 4 bits, then a Byte which is 8 bits.
The memory then keeps doubling: 16 bits, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024 which is considered a Kilobit. It carries on doubling, the difference between the actual and the stated values increasing all the time.
For 1 Kb, the difference is 24 bits (1024-1000). However, this error keeps increasing. If you think you have 32 MB of memory, the way the maths works out, you actually have 33,652,736 bits, and a positive error (i.e. more than you think) of 1,652,736 bits.
I made sure to use the correct letters in that last paragraph. A KiloByte (KB) is 8 times larger than a Kilobit (Kb). Now, this is where you need to be careful. Modems normally have their transfer rates in Kb, because then the number is larger and people think it is faster.
EG:
ISDN connections operate at 128Kb. Now, some people would think that it is 128 KiloBytes. It's not, it's 128 Kilobits.
For starters its actually 131,456 bits. To get this to Bytes, divide by 8, which gives us 16,432 Bytes. Which is a transfer rate of 16 KB. Slightly slower than the 128KB some people may have thought it was!
All in all there are bonuses and negatives that result from this. For starters, you'll probably actuall have more RAM and HD space than you think you have. On the negative side of things, you have to be careful when buying modems and network equipment to make sure all the figures are correct.
They think that 32MB of RAM is 32,000 Bytes of RAM.
Not true, it would actually be 32,864 KB.
In the same way that 1 KiloByte is not 1000 Bytes, it's 1024 Bytes.
This is because of how the bits/bytes mathematics works.
The most basic unit of storage is a bit. Next up is a Nibble, which is a collection of 4 bits, then a Byte which is 8 bits.
The memory then keeps doubling: 16 bits, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024 which is considered a Kilobit. It carries on doubling, the difference between the actual and the stated values increasing all the time.
For 1 Kb, the difference is 24 bits (1024-1000). However, this error keeps increasing. If you think you have 32 MB of memory, the way the maths works out, you actually have 33,652,736 bits, and a positive error (i.e. more than you think) of 1,652,736 bits.
I made sure to use the correct letters in that last paragraph. A KiloByte (KB) is 8 times larger than a Kilobit (Kb). Now, this is where you need to be careful. Modems normally have their transfer rates in Kb, because then the number is larger and people think it is faster.
EG:
ISDN connections operate at 128Kb. Now, some people would think that it is 128 KiloBytes. It's not, it's 128 Kilobits.
For starters its actually 131,456 bits. To get this to Bytes, divide by 8, which gives us 16,432 Bytes. Which is a transfer rate of 16 KB. Slightly slower than the 128KB some people may have thought it was!
All in all there are bonuses and negatives that result from this. For starters, you'll probably actuall have more RAM and HD space than you think you have. On the negative side of things, you have to be careful when buying modems and network equipment to make sure all the figures are correct.
Page: