issue: fileutils (df)

[lulu ajam]

I suppose this is nothing new, still it should not be
the norm. When using the "df" command, the user is not
getting the right output. Lets say that you enter the
'df' command by itself. A typical output would be:

Filesystem           1k-blocks      Used Available
Use% Mounted on
/dev/hda1              2355984    773656   1462648 
35% /
/dev/hda3               409636    238128    171508 
59% /root
/dev/hda2              3373540   2415692    957848 
72% /usr

, but then if you enter 'df -m' you get the following
output:

Filesystem           1M-blocks      Used Available
Use% Mounted on
/dev/hda1                 2301       756      1428 
35% /
/dev/hda3                  400       233       167 
59% /root
/dev/hda2                 3294      2360       935 
72% /usr

, which is clearly not equivalent to the previous one
even when assuming rounding numbers.

Also, looking, for example, at the first output (data)
line of the former output:

/dev/hda1              2355984    773656   1462648 
35% /

, we get the result of 35% usage for that partition. 
But if we divide, the total number of blocks used by
the total number of blocks available we end up with:

773656/2355984 = 32.83% ~ 33%

If instead we use the latter output, we end up with:

756000/2301000 = 32.86% ~ 33%

Clearly neither one of them gives the 35% utilization
as shown in the output.

My biggest issue with this, appart from the fact that
this is a command that is used and depend upon by
millions of people daily, is the fact that many
calculations in system design are based on the output
from this command. Hope someone could shed some light
as to why this is happening, and what can be done
about it.

_General info:_

program name: fileutils
binary format: rpm (mandrake)
version: 4.1
release: 5mdk
(distro) vendor: MandrakeSoft
packager: Chmouel Boudjnah (address@hidden


Cheers, ajam

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