100 Kilobytes per second

I prefer to use kilobytes and megabytes for tx speeds as they represent real world values that you'd see in the OS.

Edited by deleted (Wed 19-Oct-11 11:35:52)

If you used kBps and MBps everyone would know what you meant . Small "b" is definitely "bits" not Bytes.

In reply to a post by TheMarf:

100 Kilobytes per second

I prefer to use kilobytes and megabytes for tx speeds as they represent real world values that you'd see in the OS.

Rubbish ... data speeds in the real world have always been in bits unless you use a parallel interface which DSL services are not. Just becasue your OS tells you it has downloaded a file of a specific size (in Bytes) in a certain period does change it.

In reply to a post by MHC:

In reply to a post by TheMarf:

100 Kilobytes per second

I prefer to use kilobytes and megabytes for tx speeds as they represent real world values that you'd see in the OS.

Rubbish ... data speeds in the real world have always been in bits unless you use a parallel interface which DSL services are not. Just becasue your OS tells you it has downloaded a file of a specific size (in Bytes) in a certain period does change it.

I guess it depends what you mean by real world

If I go to a website which has a file I'd like to download, it'll report the size to me in kilobytes or megabytes, not kilobits and megabits.

Ergo knowing how fast my connection is in megabytes per second or kilobytes per second tells me how long that file will take to download, without having to factor in conversion factors from bits to bytes.

My Infinity maxes at 1.8-1.9 megabytes per second. So I know that I can download 1gb in approximately 9 minutes, assuming a maxed connection

So, "Rubbish"? No, just a matter of interpretative pedantry.

Edited by deleted (Wed 19-Oct-11 12:54:59)

In reply to a post by TheMarf:

In reply to a post by MHC:

In reply to a post by TheMarf:

100 Kilobytes per second

I prefer to use kilobytes and megabytes for tx speeds as they represent real world values that you'd see in the OS.

Rubbish ... data speeds in the real world have always been in bits unless you use a parallel interface which DSL services are not. Just becasue your OS tells you it has downloaded a file of a specific size (in Bytes) in a certain period does change it.

I guess it depends what you mean by real world

If I go to a website which has a file I'd like to download, it'll report the size to me in kilobytes or megabytes, not kilobits and megabits.

Ergo knowing how fast my connection is in megabytes per second or kilobytes per second tells me how long that file will take to download, without having to factor in conversion factors from bits to bytes.

My Infinity maxes at 1.8-1.9 megabytes per second. So I know that I can download 1gb in approximately 9 minutes, assuming a maxed connection

So, "Rubbish"? No, just a matter of interpretative pedantry.

How big is a byte? As it is can vary in size , it can never be an accurate measure.


And is using the correct format of b for bit, B for Byte, m for milli and M for Mega pedantry ? No, it is ensuring that others know what you are talking about.

A kilobyte is a variable amount of data is it? What about a megabyte or a gigabyte? If so could you please tell my hard drive that its variable? I could use some more space

Either way, I've clarified what I meant by my mistaken useage of kb/s and why I prefer to use Kilobytes/megabytes per second to describe throughput.

So please MHC, accept my most sincere and heartfelt apologies for making the grave error of confusing bits and bytes, and giving you the sh-ts and shytes.

Regardless, I'm sure you'll continue with your short sharp snarky comments which is entirely your prerogative. Feel free to continue, I've made my point in reference to the question asked by Robertos and I hope that he now understands what I intended to say.

Adieu

Edited by deleted (Wed 19-Oct-11 13:54:00)

Post deleted by johnmiller

Not all Bytes are 8 bit in size, now it is become the accepted norm, but anyone used to comms will know 9 bit Bytes (i.e. a stop bit included for every 8 bit character)

Generally I stick to Bytes if describing the size of a file, but if discussing the rate of something I talk in bits

On the harddrive example, are you sure the manufacturer is using kilo = 1000 or kilo = 1024 ?

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Not all Bytes are 8 bit in size, now it is become the accepted norm, but anyone used to comms will know 9 bit Bytes (i.e. a stop bit included for every 8 bit character)

True enough, but when talking about file sizes in a consumer operating system its pretty safe, normal and accepted to assume 8bits is a byte.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Generally I stick to Bytes if describing the size of a file, but if discussing the rate of something I talk in bits

To me it seems like mixing apples and oranges, but I guess its just down to personal preference.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

On the harddrive example, are you sure the manufacturer is using kilo = 1000 or kilo = 1024 ?

I was being facetious

Oh dear ... .

All that's needed is the capital "B". The rest is flim-flam and there are irrelevant entrenched views about it. If the units used are clear, it mattereth not.

The point is that without them being clear, someone asking a speed question, (the OP in this case), can be greatly misled.

Note that the download speed quoted in "real world" downloads using byte values use "B".