Google Calculator - Incorrect Usage of SI prefixes

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(Correct Usage)
Search: http://www.google.nl/search?q=1+kg+in+gram
Expected Result: 1 kg = 1000 gram
Actual Result: 1 kg = 1000 gram

(Incorrect Usage)
Search: http://www.google.nl/search?q=1+kB+in+bytes
Expected Result: 1 kilobyte = 1000 bytes
Actual Result: 1 kilobyte = 1024 bytes

Google is using the SI prefixes incorrectly when used in a binary
context,
the SI prefixes should only be used in the decimal sense: kilobyte and
megabyte denote one thousand bytes and one million bytes respectively,
while kibibyte and mebibyte denote 1024 bytes and 1,048,576 bytes
respectively. This recommendation has been adopted by SI, IEEE, CIPM,
NIST, ISO/IEC and some other leading national and international
standards, which now state that the prefixes k, M and G should always
refer to powers of ten, even in the context of information technology.
(reference: ISO/IEC IEC 80000-13:2008 )

reduced timeline:
1998:
IEC introduces unambigous prefixes for binary multiples (KiB, MiB, GiB
etc.), reserving kB, MB, GB and so on for their decimal sense.

2005:
IEC prefixes are adopted by the IEEE after a two-year trial period.

2008:
NIST guidelines require use of IEC prefixes KiB, MiB ... (and not kB,
MB) for binary byte multiples

    p29, “The names and symbols for the prefixes corresponding to 2^10 ,
2^20 , 2^30 , 2^40 , 2^50 , and 2^60 are, respectively: kibi, Ki;
mebi, Mi; gibi, Gi; tebi, Ti; pebi, Pi; and exbi, Ei. Thus, for
example, one kibibyte would be written: 1 KiB = 2^10 B = 1024 B, where
B denotes a byte. Although these prefixes are not part of the SI, they
should be used in the field of information technology to avoid the
incorrect usage of the SI prefixes.”

also remember this:
decimal value   binary value    difference
1000^1 = 10^3   1024^1 = 2^10   2.4%
1000^2 = 10^6   1024^2 = 2^20   4.9%
1000^3 = 10^9   1024^3 = 2^30   7.4%
1000^4 = 10^12  1024^4 = 2^40   10.0%
1000^5 = 10^15  1024^5 = 2^50   12.6%
1000^6 = 10^18  1024^6 = 2^60   15.3%
1000^7 = 10^21  1024^7 = 2^70   18.1%
1000^8 = 10^24  1024^8 = 2^80   20.9%

google should follow standards these standards, as it's being used as
reference material, also, this has a usability impact, since using the
same wording with two different meanings is JUST PLAIN WRONG, and
should end RIGHT NOW, Regular users don't know that the units have
dual meanings, and we shouldn't continue confusing them in this way.

also "man 7 units" on your linux-box ;)

more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binary_prefix 

Original issue reported on code.google.com by alexanderpas on 4 Dec 2008 at 10:58

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another instance (of Incorrect Usage)
http://google.com/search?q=1+megabit+in+bytes
Expected Result: 1 megabit = 125 000 bytes
Actual Result: 1 megabit = 131 072 bytes

this is plainly wrong, especially when talking data transfer speeds

Original comment by alexanderpas on 22 Jan 2010 at 2:10

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This really needs to be fixed. The confusion that is perpetuated by Google 
failing to fix this issue is really annoying.  People are still learning 
incorrectly that kB, MB, GB, etc. are multiples of 1024.  They're not, and the 
systems and products that use these these customary binary prefixes are 
becoming less relevant as time goes on.

In all of the following systems, the units are stated with SI prefixes, 
representing multiples of 1000.

* Hard drive capacities
* SSD capacities
* DVD
* HD-DVD
* Blu-ray
* Mac OS X file sizes (since 10.6)
* Linux file sizes [1]
* All data rates for broadband (e.g. "Mbps")
* Transfer rates for storage media (e.g. 1x CD speed is 150 kB/s, SATA-2 is 
3Gbit/s)
* Wolfram Alpha

By contrast, the following major systems and products still use the customary 
binary prefixes.

* Google calculator
* Windows for file sizes
* RAM

Other products that used the customary prefixes (CDs, floppy disks) are 
becoming increasingly obsolete.

Google really should fix this long standing bug and help to stem the tide of 
confusion among the general population.  In time, RAM should adopt the binary 
prefixes and Windows should follow the lead from Apple and Linux.  It's time to 
really abolish the customary binary prefixes from common use.

[1] Linux uses both SI and binary prefixes correctly throughout, with few 
exceptions retained for legacy compatibility reasons, mostly on the command 
line.

Original comment by lachyh...@gmail.com on 17 Aug 2012 at 12:25

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I agree that the confusion between KiB and KB needs to be addressed. Kilo, 
according to SI standards is 1000, and the computer industry should follow this 
standard. I could care less what the old broken computer standard has been. The 
people who refuse changing to a better, less confusing standard are also the 
same people protesting against the KiB. Their defense is usually, "well we've 
always done it that way, so it doesn't need to change".

Original comment by atwood.j...@gmail.com on 7 Feb 2013 at 4:26

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fixed....

Original comment by Arrona...@gmail.com on 29 Sep 2013 at 11:23

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^this is NOT FIXED at the time of this writing. I just checked Google 
calculator.

Original comment by atwood.j...@gmail.com on 3 Oct 2013 at 9:20

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Seriously interesting. I second the motion for Google to fix this!

Original comment by chasemoskal on 31 Oct 2013 at 7:18

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ISO/IEC are evil doers. =)

Original comment by techtonik@gmail.com on 7 Jan 2014 at 1:22

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It took a long time, but we finally fixed this! Check it out.

Original comment by kpy@google.com on 17 Jul 2014 at 2:52

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This is not complete. I was really confused at this new change to the Google 
calculator and could not understand why until I found this page. There needs to 
be a small link somewhere that asks, "Do you mean KiB to GiB?" or else people 
will repeatedly report the calculator as broken. I think it would help out a 
lot to teach people the difference.

Anyways, thanks for this information, and I'm glad to know why 1GB now equals 
1000MB.

Original comment by spiraf...@gmail.com on 10 Aug 2014 at 7:42

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Ahh, I'm surprised it took me this long to Google around and figure out why 
this changed. I support this change for the most part, but it would be helpful 
to have a prompt like mentioned above ("Do you mean KiB to GiB?") considering 
it no longer displays the values its displayed for years (incorrectly or not). 

I'll just learn to type the `i` in the middle from now on. After all I don't 
need google to tell me to add three 0's to go from GB to MB.

Original comment by will.pet...@gmail.com on 26 Sep 2014 at 8:36

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+1 on the notification.  I too have used the Google calculator heavily in the 
past and recently noticed it being "wrong" (at least for what I was correctly 
trying to calculate) and a little link asking me if I meant the other thing 
would have avoided me needing to post this comment ;-)

Perhaps also showing both conversions?

Original comment by perryk...@gmail.com on 24 Oct 2014 at 7:52