On 24 Feb 2007 10:53:56 -0800, "jameshanley39@yahoo.co.uk"
<jameshanley39@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

>On 23 Feb, 21:02, "Rod Speed" <rod.speed....@gmail.com> wrote:

>> So its a different number system.
>
>No, 2^x cannot even be binary. The number 2 doesn't even exist in
>binary.
>


The significant detail is that 1,000,000 being called
megabyte is invalid.

Because byte only exists in a different system, not a
decimal system, the two different system terms can't be
intermixed. Mega on the other hand, exists in both systems
so it can be applied to a binary system number.

If someone wanted to call 1,000,000 as a megablob, or other
megaTHING, that would work, but it cannot be called megabyte
unless the number expressed is 1,048,576. Similarly a
kilobyte is never 1000, and a byte itself is never 10 bits.

Approximations aren't sufficient, and WD lost a class action
suit over that so precedence has been set in the legal world
as well as in the computer world. It's a shame the matter
wasn't pursued more when manufactureres first started
mislabeling drives, but on the other hand there are better
ways to spend the courts' time.