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The '''kibibyte''' is a multiple of the unit [[byte]] for quantities of digital [[information]]. The [[binary prefix]] "[[kibi-|kibi]]" means 1024, therefore 1 kibibyte is 1024 bytes. The unit symbol for the kibibyte is '''KiB'''.<ref>{{cite web | author= International Electrotechnical Commission | title= Prefixes for binary multiples | url= http://www.iec.ch/si/binary.htm | year= 2007 | accessdate= 2014-01-09}}</ref> |
The '''kibibyte''' is a multiple of the unit [[byte]] for quantities of digital [[information]]. The [[binary prefix]] "[[kibi-|kibi]]" means 1024, therefore 1 kibibyte is 1024 bytes. The unit symbol for the kibibyte is '''KiB'''.<ref>{{cite web | author= International Electrotechnical Commission | title= Prefixes for binary multiples | url= http://www.iec.ch/si/binary.htm | year= 2007 | accessdate= 2014-01-09}}</ref> |
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The unit was established by the [[International Electrotechnical Commission]] (IEC) in 1998,<ref>International Electrotechnical Commission (January 1999), IEC 60027-2 ''Amendment 2: Letter symbols to be used in electrical technology - Part 2: Telecommunications and electronics''</ref> has been accepted for use by all major standards organizations, and is part of the [[International System of Quantities]].<ref>{{cite web|title=IEC 80000-13:2008|url=http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail?csnumber=31898|publisher=[[International Organization for Standardization]]|accessdate=21 July 2013}}</ref> The kibibyte was designed to replace the [[kilobyte]] in some computer science contexts, where kilobyte used to mean 1024 bytes. The interpretation of the kilobyte to denote 1024 bytes, conflicting with the [[SI]] definition of the prefix "[[kilo-|kilo]]" (1000), is still common in |
The unit was established by the [[International Electrotechnical Commission]] (IEC) in 1998,<ref>International Electrotechnical Commission (January 1999), IEC 60027-2 ''Amendment 2: Letter symbols to be used in electrical technology - Part 2: Telecommunications and electronics''</ref> has been accepted for use by all major standards organizations, and is part of the [[International System of Quantities]].<ref>{{cite web|title=IEC 80000-13:2008|url=http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail?csnumber=31898|publisher=[[International Organization for Standardization]]|accessdate=21 July 2013}}</ref> The kibibyte was designed to replace the [[kilobyte]] in some computer science contexts, where kilobyte used to mean 1024 bytes. The interpretation of the kilobyte to denote 1024 bytes, conflicting with the [[SI]] definition of the prefix "[[kilo-|kilo]]" (1000), is still common, mostly in informal computer science contexts. |
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==Definition== |
==Definition== |
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The kibibyte is a multiple of the unit byte for quantities of digital information. The binary prefix "kibi" means 1024, therefore 1 kibibyte is 1024 bytes. The unit symbol for the kibibyte is KiB.[1]
The unit was established by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in 1998,[2] has been accepted for use by all major standards organizations, and is part of the International System of Quantities.[3] The kibibyte was designed to replace the kilobyte in some computer science contexts, where kilobyte used to mean 1024 bytes. The interpretation of the kilobyte to denote 1024 bytes, conflicting with the SI definition of the prefix "kilo" (1000), is still common, mostly in informal computer science contexts.
Definition
- 1 kibibyte = 210 bytes = 1024 bytes.
The prefix kibi is derived as a portmanteau of the words "kilo" and "binary", indicating its origin in the closeness in value to the SI prefix "kilo" (1000). While the SI prefix is written with lowercase ("k"), the IEC prefix uses an uppercase letter.
History
The kibibyte is closely related to the kilobyte. The latter term is often used in some contexts as a synonym for kibibyte, but formally refers to 103 bytes = 1000 bytes, as the prefix "kilo" is defined in the International System of Units.
The binary interpretation of the metric prefixes causes relatively small differences with the smallest prefixes in the series, i.e. for "kilo" and "mega", but grows to substantial differences beyond (see also Binary prefix § Deviation between powers of 1024 and powers of 1000).
In Introduction to MMIX, Donald Knuth proposed that this unit be called a large kilobyte (abbreviated KKB).[4] Other early proposals included using the Greek lowercase letter κ (kappa) for 1024 bytes (and using k exclusively for 1000), bK, KB, and others. See also Binary prefix § Early suggestions.
Binary prefixes are increasingly used in scientific literature and open source software. In product advertising and other non-scientific publications, the kilobyte sometimes refers to a power of ten and sometimes a power of two.[5][6][7]
See also
References
- ^ International Electrotechnical Commission (2007). "Prefixes for binary multiples". Retrieved 2014-01-09.
- ^ International Electrotechnical Commission (January 1999), IEC 60027-2 Amendment 2: Letter symbols to be used in electrical technology - Part 2: Telecommunications and electronics
- ^ "IEC 80000-13:2008". International Organization for Standardization. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- ^ "What is a kilobyte?". Retrieved 2010-05-20.
- ^ "Safier vs WDC complaint". WesternDigital.com. Retrieved 2007-11-15.[dead link]
- ^ Rowlett, Brian (7 August 2005). "I've got a bigger gigabyte than you!". Independent Computer Products Users Group (ICPUG). Retrieved 2007-11-15.
- ^ Barry Wittman; Aditya Mathur; Tim Korb (30 December 2012). Start Concurrent: An Introduction to Problem Solving in Java with a Focus on Concurrency, 2013 Edition. Purdue University Press. p. 5. ISBN 978-1-55753-672-3. Retrieved 1 May 2013.