Talk:Zettabyte
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Discussion about centralization took place at Talk:Binary prefix.
[edit] binary definition?
Gimmetrow, I am disputing the binary definition of the zettabyte. (Same applies to yottabyte). Is there a source for these? Thunderbird2 (talk) 20:46, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
- I really have no idea what you're asking. Are you really disputing that the IEC noted an ambiguity? Gimmetrow 20:49, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
- Sorry, perhaps I was too cryptic - I'll try to explain more carefully. What I mean is that a number of standards bodies define the zettabyte in the decimal sense, ie, 1 ZB = 10007 B, but I know of none that define it in the binary sense (which would mean 1 ZB = 10247 B). Nor does the article cite any sources that use ZB in the binary sense. I'm not sure, but my suspicion is that we have just invented a definition that wasn't there before - something we should try to avoid. Thunderbird2 (talk) 20:56, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
- Here's a jargon list using it that way. Gimmetrow 21:31, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
- A search for "zettabyte" didn't pick up anything. Can you point me to where it's used in that link? Thunderbird2 (talk) 21:52, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
- Search for zetta. Gimmetrow 22:19, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
- Yes, I see. But it looks to me that they are just extrapolating from established uses of other (smaller) prefixes. The table is followed by the text "The prefixes zetta-, yotta-, zepto-, and yocto- have been included in these tables purely for completeness and giggle value". I think we need to do better than that - somewhere that actually uses them. Thunderbird2 (talk) 22:27, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
- I found this and this. They are definitions rather than examples of actual usage though, and also likely to be straight extrapolations from exabyte. Do you think they are enough? Thunderbird2 (talk) 22:37, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
- Of course it's probably an extrapolation. The point is that the prefixes can go up by 1000 or 1024, so if precision mattered it could be either. At this point in time, anyone actually using the term "zettabyte" is almost certainly making an order of magnitude estimate, and a 20% variation doesn't matter. You might want to work on Binary_prefix#Traditional_binary_prefixes, if you want more people to see this. Gimmetrow 22:46, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
- My point is that the article gives the impression that the two definitions are equally valid, whereas all uses of ZB that I can find are all in the decimal sense. I think the article should be updated to reflect the assymetry. Agreed? Thunderbird2 (talk) 22:52, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
- Go ahead. Gimmetrow 22:54, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
- My point is that the article gives the impression that the two definitions are equally valid, whereas all uses of ZB that I can find are all in the decimal sense. I think the article should be updated to reflect the assymetry. Agreed? Thunderbird2 (talk) 22:52, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
- Of course it's probably an extrapolation. The point is that the prefixes can go up by 1000 or 1024, so if precision mattered it could be either. At this point in time, anyone actually using the term "zettabyte" is almost certainly making an order of magnitude estimate, and a 20% variation doesn't matter. You might want to work on Binary_prefix#Traditional_binary_prefixes, if you want more people to see this. Gimmetrow 22:46, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
- I found this and this. They are definitions rather than examples of actual usage though, and also likely to be straight extrapolations from exabyte. Do you think they are enough? Thunderbird2 (talk) 22:37, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
- Yes, I see. But it looks to me that they are just extrapolating from established uses of other (smaller) prefixes. The table is followed by the text "The prefixes zetta-, yotta-, zepto-, and yocto- have been included in these tables purely for completeness and giggle value". I think we need to do better than that - somewhere that actually uses them. Thunderbird2 (talk) 22:27, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
- Search for zetta. Gimmetrow 22:19, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
- A search for "zettabyte" didn't pick up anything. Can you point me to where it's used in that link? Thunderbird2 (talk) 21:52, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
- Here's a jargon list using it that way. Gimmetrow 21:31, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
- Sorry, perhaps I was too cryptic - I'll try to explain more carefully. What I mean is that a number of standards bodies define the zettabyte in the decimal sense, ie, 1 ZB = 10007 B, but I know of none that define it in the binary sense (which would mean 1 ZB = 10247 B). Nor does the article cite any sources that use ZB in the binary sense. I'm not sure, but my suspicion is that we have just invented a definition that wasn't there before - something we should try to avoid. Thunderbird2 (talk) 20:56, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
OK I'll do that. For the record, here are some of the decimal uses I found: [1] [2] [3] [4] Thunderbird2 (talk) 22:58, 5 May 2008 (UTC)

