SI Units for Request Rate (2024)

https://entropicthoughts.com/si-units-for-request-rate

Article

  • Proposes using becquerel (Bq) as a unit for HTTP request rate
  • Becquerel = 1 event/second, analogous to requests/second
  • Argues kBq/MBq are more readable than large req/s numbers

Discussion

  • Physicists push back: becquerel is strictly for radioactive decay, not arbitrary events
  • SI defines hertz for periodic, becquerel for stochastic radionuclide activity — neither fits requests
  • Lighthearted thread; dang links prior Feb 2024 discussion (93 comments)

Discuss on HN


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Added Apr 20, 2026
Modified Apr 20, 2026