Editing Bit (section)

=== Storage ===

File sizes are often measured in (binary) IEC multiples of bytes, for example 1 KiB = 1024 bytes = 8192 bits.  Confusion may arise in cases where (for historic reasons) filesizes are specified with binary multipliers using the ambiguous prefixes K, M, and G rather than the IEC standard prefixes Ki, Mi, and Gi.<ref>{{cite web |title=UnitsPolicy - Ubuntu Wiki |url=https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UnitsPolicy |access-date=7 January 2025}}</ref>

Mass storage devices are usually measured in decimal SI multiples, for example 1 TB = <math>10^{12}</math> bytes.

Confusingly, the storage capacity of a directly addressable memory device, such as a [[Dynamic Random Access Memory|DRAM]] chip, or an assemblage of such chips on a memory module, is specified as a binary multiple—using the ambiguous prefix G rather than the IEC recommended Gi prefix.  For example, a DRAM chip that is specified (and advertised) as having "1 GB" of capacity has <math>2^{30}</math> bytes of capacity.  As at 2022, the difference between the popular understanding of a memory system with "8 GB" of capacity, and the SI-correct meaning of "8 GB" was still causing difficulty to software designers.<ref>{{cite web |title=Use MB/GB/TB suffix for VM memory input |url=https://github.com/netbox-community/netbox/issues/8437 |website=Github Netbox Community |access-date=8 January 2025 |date=2022}}</ref>