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====Quantities of bytes and bits | ====Quantities of bytes and bits==== | ||
In quantities of [[bit (computing)|bit]]s and [[byte]]s, the prefixes | In quantities of [[Wikipedia:bit (computing)|bit]]s and [[Wikipedia:Byte|byte]]s, the prefixes '''kilo-''' (symbol '''k''' or '''K'''), '''mega-''' ('''M'''), '''giga-''' ('''G'''), '''tera-''' ('''T'''), etc., are ambiguous. They may be based on a decimal system (like the standard [[Wikipedia:International System of Units|SI]] prefixes), meaning 10<sup>3</sup>, 10<sup>6</sup>, 10<sup>9</sup>, 10<sup>12</sup>, etc., or they may be based on a binary system, meaning 2<sup>10</sup>, 2<sup>20</sup>, 2<sup>30</sup>, 2<sup>40</sup>, etc. The binary meanings are more commonly used in relation to solid-state memory (such as [[Wikipedia:Random-access memory|RAM]]), while the decimal meanings are more common for data transmission rates, disk storage and in theoretical calculations in modern academic textbooks. | ||
Follow these recommendations when using these prefixes in | Follow these recommendations when using these prefixes in UniWiki articles: | ||
* Following the SI standard, a lower-case {{xt|k}} should be used for "kilo-" whenever it means 1000 in computing contexts, whereas a capital {{xt|K}} should be used instead to indicate the binary prefix for 1024 according to JEDEC. (If, under the exceptions detailed further below, the article otherwise uses IEC prefixes for binary units, use {{xt|Ki}} instead). | * Following the SI standard, a lower-case {{xt|k}} should be used for "kilo-" whenever it means 1000 in computing contexts, whereas a capital {{xt|K}} should be used instead to indicate the binary prefix for 1024 according to JEDEC. (If, under the exceptions detailed further below, the article otherwise uses IEC prefixes for binary units, use {{xt|Ki}} instead). | ||
* Do not assume that the binary or decimal meaning of prefixes will be obvious to everyone. Explicitly specify the meaning of k and K as well as the primary meaning of M, G, T, etc. in an article | * Do not assume that the binary or decimal meaning of prefixes will be obvious to everyone. Explicitly specify the meaning of k and K as well as the primary meaning of M, G, T, etc. in an article. Consistency within each article is desirable, but the need for consistency may be balanced with other considerations. | ||
* The definition most relevant to the article should be chosen as primary for that article, e.g. specify a binary definition in an article on RAM, decimal definition in an article on [[hard drives]], [[bit | * The definition most relevant to the article should be chosen as primary for that article, e.g. specify a binary definition in an article on RAM, decimal definition in an article on [[Wikipedia:Hard drives|hard drives]], [[Wikipedia:Bit rate|bit rates]], and a binary definition for Windows file sizes, despite files usually being stored on hard drives. | ||
* Where consistency is not possible, specify wherever there is a deviation from the primary definition. | * Where consistency is not possible, specify wherever there is a deviation from the primary definition. | ||
* Disambiguation should be shown in bytes or bits, with clear indication of whether in binary or decimal base. There is no preference in the way to indicate the number of bytes and bits, but the notation style should be consistent within an article. Acceptable examples include: | * Disambiguation should be shown in bytes or bits, with clear indication of whether in binary or decimal base. There is no preference in the way to indicate the number of bytes and bits, but the notation style should be consistent within an article. Acceptable examples include: | ||
: • {{xt|A 64{{nbsp}}MB ( | : • {{xt|A 64{{nbsp}}MB (64 × 1024<sup>2</sup>-byte) video card and a 100{{nbsp}}GB (100 × 1000<sup>3</sup>-byte) hard drive}} | ||
: • {{xt|A 64{{nbsp}}MB ( | : • {{xt|A 64{{nbsp}}MB (64 × 2<sup>20</sup>-byte) video card and a 100{{nbsp}}GB (100 × 10<sup>9</sup>-byte) hard drive}} | ||
: • {{xt|A 64{{nbsp}}MB (67,108,864-byte) video card and a 100{{nbsp}}GB (100,000,000,000-byte) hard drive}} | : • {{xt|A 64{{nbsp}}MB (67,108,864-byte) video card and a 100{{nbsp}}GB (100,000,000,000-byte) hard drive}} | ||
* Avoid inconsistent combinations such as {{!xt|A 64{{nbsp}}MB (67,108,864-byte) video card and a 100{{nbsp}}GB | * Avoid inconsistent combinations such as {{!xt|A 64{{nbsp}}MB (67,108,864-byte) video card and a 100{{nbsp}}GB (100 × 1000<sup>3</sup>-byte)}} hard drive. Footnotes, such as those seen in [//en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Power_Macintosh_5500&oldid=218088888 Power Macintosh 5500], may be used for disambiguation. | ||
* Unless explicitly stated otherwise, one byte is eight bits | * Unless explicitly stated otherwise, one byte is eight bits ''(see [[Wikipedia:Byte#History|History of "byte"']]). | ||
The [[IEC prefix]] | The [[Wikipedia:IEC prefix|IEC prefixes]] '''kibi-''' (symbol '''Ki'''), '''mebi-''' ('''Mi'''), '''gibi-''' ('''Gi'''), etc., are generally not to be used except:<ref>The UniWiki follows common practice regarding [[Wikipedia:Byte|bytes]] and other data traditionally quantified using [[Wikipedia:Binary prefix|binary prefixes]] (e.g. '''mega-''' and '''kilo-''', meaning 2<sup>20</sup> and 2<sup>10</sup> respectively) and their unit symbols (e.g. '''MB''' and '''KB''') for RAM and [[Wikipedia:Decimal prefix|decimal prefixes]] for most other uses. Despite the IEC's 1998 international standard creating several new binary prefixes (e.g. mebi-, kibi-) to distinguish the meaning of the decimal [[Wikipedia:SI prefix|SI prefixes]] (e.g. '''mega-''' and '''kilo-''', meaning 10<sup>6</sup> and 10<sup>3</sup> respectively) from the binary ones, and the subsequent incorporation of these IEC prefixes into the [[Wikipedia:IEC 80000-13|ISO/IEC 80000]], consensus on Wikipedia in computing-related contexts currently favours the retention of the more familiar but ambiguous units '''KB''', '''MB''', '''GB''', '''TB''', '''PB''', '''EB''', etc. over use of unambiguous IEC binary prefixes.</ref> | ||
* when the majority of cited sources on the article topic use IEC prefixes; | * when the majority of cited sources on the article topic use IEC prefixes; | ||
* in a direct quote using the IEC prefixes; | * in a direct quote using the IEC prefixes; | ||
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