Your Opinion

[sam123]

My uncle is an electrician and we have been arguing for a while now because he doesn't understand that 1,024 MB makes a Gigabyte; he seems to think it is 1,000 MB to a Gigabyte because that is how it works in electrical devices i.e. 1000 watts to a kilowatt. I have tried to teach him binary to make him understand it but he can't seem to get the hang of it and i was wondering if anyone has any ideas on an easy way to teach it and i mean easy a bit like those "Computers for Dummies" books you get! ha ha because it is very annoying! and i need to prove to him that i am right and he is wrong! i also thought that this could be an interesting topic to talk about!

sam

 

[Bobo]

2*2 = 4
4*2 = 8
8*2 = 16
16*2 = 32
32*2 = 64
64*2 = 128
128*2 = 256
256*2 = 512
512*2 = 1024

Because everything is either a 1 or a 0 (2 values) they are all multiplied by 2.

 

[Pck21]

2*2 = 4
4*2 = 8
8*2 = 16
16*2 = 32
32*2 = 64
64*2 = 128
128*2 = 256
256*2 = 512
512*2 = 1024

Because everything is either a 1 or a 0 (2 values) they are all multiplied by 2.

Bingo!

 

[sam123]

Exactly! That is what i said to him, but still he is convinced that everything is a multiple of ten, so i told him that computers can only read two numbers 0 and 1, or on and off, if you like! However, i did everything within my knowledge of binary to explain it to him as easy as i could but he couldn't seem to grasp it! It is as if the only multiples that go through his head are multiples of ten and it is very annoying! Ha Ha maybe i should tell him to go into a shop and ask for 1000MB or RAM that would be funny!

 

[Geoff]

Are posts like this really needed?

Are posts like that really needed?

Exactly! That is what i said to him, but still he is convinced that everything is a multiple of ten, so i told him that computers can only read two numbers 0 and 1, or on and off, if you like! However, i did everything within my knowledge of binary to explain it to him as easy as i could but he couldn't seem to grasp it! It is as if the only multiples that go through his head are multiples of ten and it is very annoying! Ha Ha maybe i should tell him to go into a shop and ask for 1000MB or RAM that would be funny!

What Bobo said is the only way i can think of memorizing it.

 

[sam123]

Ok well thanks anywayz i will just have to draw pretty pictures maybe that will work ha ha

 

[Bobo]

Are posts like that really needed?

Nope, of course not.

What Bobo said is the only way i can think of memorizing it.

Well it really doesn't need to be memorized. Companies use 1GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes, so that a 40GB HD is really only 36. It is all part of marketing.

And btw, happy 9000th!

i will just have to draw pretty pictures

And how will this work umm....whatever. Some people are just stubborn (and I really shouldn't be talking)

 

[sam123]

ha ha ha so it sort of a money making scheme for companies? they selling people a 36GB Hard Drive for the price of 40GB? or have i got the wrong end there?

Yes he rather stubbern ha

 

[Bobo]

ha ha ha so it sort of a money making scheme for companies? they selling people a 36GB Hard Drive for the price of 40GB? or have i got the wrong end there?

Yes, that is exactly what they do. Look in the fine print in all product magazines and such, you see an asterisk next to every hard drive size and such. In the back, it will say "1GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes"

 

[sam123]

ha ha ha i be keeping my eye out for that! any other money making schemes i should know about?

 

[magicman]

any other money making schemes i should know about?

A while ago there was a thread about a guy advertising a dual core Intel processor on eBay, saying it runs at 6.4Ghz (3.2Ghz x 2 because it's dual core). Another example of blatant false advertising, he knew it was still only rated at 3.2Ghz but wanted to take money from innocent newbies.

 

[sam123]

Well I personally see that as cruel! Poor newbies, they don't know what theyr'e doing, they just see something with a large number next to it and want it!!! very silly i know, i never buy anything for my PC until i have checked out some reviews for the item make and model that i am buying! that way i know im safe!
Is false advertisement legal? If it is i really don't think it should be!!!

 

[magicman]

Of course it's not legal, and I think several people complained to eBay, and they also emailed the guy who bought the thing so they could undo the sale. He had a good long argument with a lot of people in this forum before he got banned, but frankly he didn't have a leg to stand on.

 

[sam123]

Too right, he shouldn't be doing it, he might think he is clever by doing it but it is actualy kind of sad to say the least in my opinion! It is things like that, that cause me not to use place like eBay. I have only ever used it once to buy computer parts and that was for a 300W ATX PSU i needed cos mine blew up. I prefer to buy my equipment brand new, i only use eBay if im desperate for a part and can't afford to get it brand new.
This sort of false marketing shouldnt be allowed it is just like putting on the back of a chocolate bar that it has 3.5 grams of fat when it actually has 6 grams. They are lieing to the customer!

 

[Eric Richards]

you are both right and both wrong !!!


Your uncle is right because he is talking in Decimal.
You are right because you are talking Binary.

Have a nice day!