Re: Enhancements request – Accuracy, Documentation, Conventions, Basic units of measure

[Michael Stone]

On Fri, May 25, 2018 at 10:07:49AM +0200, Ricky Tigg wrote:
> –Issue reported first at bugzilla.red hat 1582165
> <https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1582165>–
>
> OS :Fedora
> Version-Release number of component: coreutils.x86_64 8.29-6.fc28 @updates
>
> 1. Accuracy
>
> Actual results: In terminal, outputs resulting from the execution of
> command:
> – 'df -h' are specified at best with one digit accuracy.
>
> Enhancement: An accuracy with two digits (model 0.00 M) would be

um, 0.00 has three digits.

It would be sad if the current (excellent) df heuristics were changed to 
add additional digits which would take up screen space with no benefit.

> Actual results: Df tool displays sizes associated to data storage observing
> the notation (k, M, G, ...) while obviously outputs resulting from 'df'
> tends to indicate that actually, by default sizes associated to data
> storage are specified by observing the international standard ISO 80000
> –also known as IEC 80000– which sets the convention regarding binary
> prefixes (e.g. 1024 = 1 Ki = '1 kibi') in that field. But that is all a
> deduction.
>
> 'man df' lacks valuable information related to that policy that required to
> be established in man page.
>
> Enhancement: above mentioned policy to be dully documented.

from man page: "units default to 1024 bytes"

> 3. Conventions
>
> Actual results: Convention used regarding the signs '%' and Metric prefixes
> (k, M, G, ...)  attached along with data storage values –made upon format
> (model 0%)– is the one that applies to American English and British English
> and others countries attached to the British crown. Nevertheless others
> countries' convention regarding values an units representation observe a
> format which introduces a space between values and units (here as model: 0
> %).
>
> Furthermore readability of expressions displayed in such formats are not
> equal; model '0 %' is superior to '0%'.
>
> Enhancement: As expected model '0 %' is the one who fill higher purpose.

It would be sad if screen real estate was taken up by unnecessary spaces. 

> 4. Basic units of measure are missing (by policy, not as result of an issue)
>
> Actual results: Basic units of measure are missing since only metric
> prefixes are displayed.
>
> Enhancement: Since unit prefixes illustrated here are in this context
> likely to indicate nothing else but multiples of the unit proper to digital
> information, characters 'b' or 'B' and their equivalents for others
> supported system languages must be considered to be part of the designation.

It would be sad if creen real estate were taken up by a unit repeated on 
every single line.

Mike Stone