Australia was metricated in 1974. I was nine. I can work quite happily
in either system (and I used to have fun confusing my dad with 50mm and
my kids with 2"), though I do prefer SI as it is natively much more
intuitive (for me).
We are still saddled by the inaccuracies of imperial timber (lumber)
measurements: a 'forbee' (4"x2") never measures 4x2 but usually
3-1/2"x1-3/4" (after milling - I guess it's a kind of 'imperial size
tax' :) ), so for compatibility the shops stock a 90x45mm which measures
pretty much exactly that. Interestingly we are now starting to see
'sensible' metric-multiple sizes like 10mm & 20mm replace the old
imperial-compatible sizes like 12 and 19mm. Only now are 'English'
whitworth sizes starting to be replaced by metric as the default
hardware shop bolt/nut ranges... I still wonder what the holdup was :)
I found it interesting to read that: Thomas Jefferson sent a
commissioner to France to obtain a set of metric standards (to ease
trade with Europe) which was lost to pirates on their return; the US
signed a treaty committing to support the metric system in 1875, and;
since the 1890s all of the US imperial standards are now defined against
metric standards, which are now held at the NIST. I still fail to see
what the benefit in holding out is, but I understand that I lack social
context - and I try to convert units* in my head when I talk to my son's
young lady friend (from the US).
*It was 110F in Adelaide last week and 70F this week :)
davidt
On Fri, Mar 08, 2019 at 11:43:53PM -0500, Bill Pearce wrote:
> The switch to metric was a stupid idea from stupid people. And try as I
> might, I can't find a way to blame trump on a lack of it.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
> From: "Jan Steinman" <Jan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Sent: Friday, March 8, 2019 1:10:47 PM
> Subject: Re: [OM] IMG: Airport Experiment
>
> > From: Philippe <photo.philippe.amard@xxxxxxxxx>
> >
> >> Le 7 mars 2019 ? 22:54, Jim Nichols <jhnichols@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> a ?crit :
> >>
> >> 680 ounces
> >
> >
> > WOW !!! that?s 308 kg or a third of a ton or so, Jim
>
> I think you need to leave the unit conversions to them who are stuck in the
> last century, Philippe. :-)
>
> 680 avoirdupois ounces would be 19.3 kilograms ??? still a lot to carry,
> though!
>
> When I was in high school in the 1970s, we were introduced to the metric
> system, with the threat that we HAD to learn it, because we'd be switching to
> it ANY DAY NOW! I thought, "Oh, this is so cool! I can't wait for the
> glorious transition!"
>
> It never happened. I gave up waiting for the change in 2005, and moved to a
> saner country. :-)
>
> Jan
>
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