Are you really that numb headed at your work station that you think people know 1MB is 8Mb, that people do maths to figure something out when they shouldn't need to. The general public, and myself for some time, do not realise the value of a capitalisation.

All they know is MB and GB, so why use the Mb method to explain how fast the can attain a file clearly labelled online in MBs or GBs!

In reply to a post by tide:

Are you not listening, the past means nothing. Its all in MB or GB now

I thought it was all TB now, GB are so last year.

Especially since on some computers a Byte might be 9 bits to confuse things further.

The MB and Mbps is pretty simple, perhaps if they weren't the letter b then it might be better, but in the science world people are used to ensuring units are precisely written.

In reply to a post by tide:

The general public, and myself for some time, do not realise the value of a capitalisation.

We can't be held responsible for your poor education.

I download at about 1.1MB per second, that's all I need to know. The file will only download as fast as it will, but at least the file, listed at e.g. 30MB online will then come in about 30sec. I know there are timers, but when shopping for broadband you don't easily see the Mb or MB difference, its a capitalisation that most people *will* miss.

Its just not what people expect.

Were talking about advertising here, the nation of the UK (in my case) who are not scientists. You know what the public are like, no way are they going to know what a Mb is, I don't really.

If the file is listed in MB online, then in MB when downloaded on one's computer then it makes sense to keep that measurement.

I don't know how to check my Ethernet, I use Wi-Fi, I don't know anything about. All I know is that MB is the file size online and the file size when on my computer, so why not keep that measurement when downloading.

Your the one who says stuff like that from a computer, but when as technical support you meet face to face with a user you don't dare behave like that. That's the kind of detachment you have from society, what people's needs are.

Nobody in the public domain knows the difference between Mb or MB, go outside the door tomorrow and ask them.

But you won't because your too afraid of talking to normal people.

I will say no more than ensure you add your views to the various consultations under way.

The problem is just that, the way things are shown, it makes no joined up sense at all, why a file listed in MB online, then downloaded and shown in MB on one's computer is detailed in transit as something else I do not know. Most people don't look at the speed or transfer, but that's not what I am calling for; its the advertised speed.

If the speed were to reflect the size of the object the it would make more sense. Its like buying a car, they are listed as £2,999 you get it home and your @2,999 lighter but the transaction was calculated in pence... what?!