base 2 or base 10.

[Karl Larsen]

On 03/27/2010 03:58 PM, Knapp wrote:
> On Sat, Mar 27, 2010 at 10:48 PM, Steve Flynn<anothermindbomb at gmail.com>  wrote:
>    
>> On Sat, Mar 27, 2010 at 9:45 PM, Steve Flynn<anothermindbomb at gmail.com>  wrote:
>>      
>>> I note with some amusement that Slashdot and several other sites are
>>> alight with the news that Ubuntu are about to provide the option to
>>> display filesizes in base 10 or base 2.
>>>
>>> http://linux.slashdot.org/story/10/03/27/1451238/Ubuntu-Will-Switch-To-Base-10-File-Size-Units-In-Future-Release?art_pos=6
>>>
>>> Any positive or negative reactions to this from the users here? Moving
>>> the buttons from right to left caused some people pain - how do you
>>> feel about this "improvement" to the UI?
>>>        
>> Hit send too early...
>>
>> Personally, I welcome the correction to using kilo to mean 1024 but
>> the old computer science degree in me is spinning in its grave at this
>> travesty of injustice
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Steve
>>      
> Switching it to base 10 was just a marketing ploy in the first place,
> it makes drives look bigger. We are counting bits so base 2 is the
> correct way to go. Problem is that base 10 has been marketed so long
> now that most people think it IS standard and correct.
>
>
>
>    
         Yes it is the problem we were taught the base 10 system in 
grade school. As I finished collage the digital computer was just being 
used and I went to Bendix Computer in LA and we built a digital computer 
with tubes! I recall it was full of dual triode tubes. Of course each 
tube was a flip flop and it was a base 2 system. It takes a few flip 
flops to represent a base ten number and it is not efficient. Lots of 
things use Octal or base 8 math.

     In summary, computers think in Base 2, People are taught to use 
Base 10.  The little hand calculator you buy for $10.00 today has a tiny 
chip in it that does all the converting from Base 10 to Base 2 and back. 
They are amazing little things!  I have a CASIO that needs a new 
battery, and a TI-30Xa which cost $20.00 quite a while ago. It does all 
things Base 10 and it has the complete log table and will do angles very 
easy. It has 3 memories and is great if your doing upper level math 
problems. You can use up to 12 decimal places! That is real accuracy.

     I am moderated so it will be interesting to see when this reaches 
you. I will watch and right now it is Saturday Mar 27 2010 5:37:34 exactly.

73 Karl