[flow-tools] 1 Mb = 1000000 bytes?! ;-)

[sthaug@nethelp.no]

> This is exactly what I wrote except 'k' means 1000 and 'K' means '1024'.
> As I wrote, in networking (or telco) world, there are confusion using 'k'
> and 'K' but usually it means 1000 (bits, kilobits, megabits - speed). You
> are right that 'M' means 100000 for ethernet (10Mbps = 10 000 000 bps). At
> the same time it is 1024000 for serial connections (2 Mbps = 2 048 000
> bps).

A "2 Mbps" serial link will sometimes be 1984000 bps, sometimes 2048000.

> There ar no way to separate these 'megas'. But for 'kilo' it is always
> that 'K' means 1024 (memory) and 'k' means 1000 (speed).

*You* may think this is always the case. Others don't.

> Anyway, our discussion was initially about 'mega' and it is true that
> 2^20 and 10^6 are both written as 'M'. Because is isn't speed but size, it
> should be 2^20.

I see we're not going to convince each other. I'm happy with the choice
that the flow-tools author has made, and prefer to keep things the way
they are. Since you have a patch to change flow-tools to use your idea
of kilo and mega, I suggest you simply keep it as a local patch.

Steinar Haug, Nethelp consulting, sthaug@nethelp.no