<THUD....GIGGLE>
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and there you have it ! 3/16 of an inch ????? argh... 1 meter, 22 centimeter and 45 millimeter : 1,2234 meter 122,45 cm 12245 mm ahhh.... :-D Do you know why it's important to make fast decisions? Because you give yourself more time to correct your mistakes, when you find out that you made the wrong one. Chris Meech on deciding whether to go to his daughters graduation or a Neil Young concert
At least if you're going to extol the virtues of the metric system, use it correctly!!! A centimetre only has 10 milimetres in it!!! :P
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Jan R Hansen wrote:
- why are these ancient scales still in use ? The metric system makes sense, dammit !
because people refuse to change.... because they refuse to change they also demand others adapt to their way, as others learn from them the process continues. Some of us refuse to adapt. All my software runs metric internally, but my external interface must provide both English and Metric options, or only offer English. I choose both because I prefer Metric. I believe I am the only person who leaves it in metric mode. What is your average speed to work in furlongs per fortnight? :laugh: _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
I am 5' 9" tall and weigh 13st 3lb (I like to think it's all muscle :)) NOT 175cm and 84kg. This metric stuff does keep the brain agile though as I have to do simultaneous conversion from metric to Imperial in order to communicate with my children who only deal in "the dark side". I still remember having to write your own code in FORTRAN rather than be a cut and paste merchant being pampered by colour coded Intellisense - ahh proper programming - those were the days :)
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Personally I think it mainly has to do with the 'simplicity' of the imperial system (as far as I'm concerned). The fact that I know that 880yards = 1/2 mile(which is incredibly simple mental calculation compared to metric) makes it easy to visualize. Then again, I guess it's all about what you're used to. You don't visualize 500 meters, you just see the 0/5 kiometer. home
bookmarks You can ignore relatives but the neighbours live next doordigital man wrote:
You don't visualize 500 meters, you just see the 0/5 kiometer.
This is what I'm getting at - the calculations for the metric system are much simpler, which makes it easy to work something into something else you can visualize. Paul
Where a pointless picture of song titles once resided only blank space now remains.
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Personally I think it mainly has to do with the 'simplicity' of the imperial system (as far as I'm concerned). The fact that I know that 880yards = 1/2 mile(which is incredibly simple mental calculation compared to metric) makes it easy to visualize. Then again, I guess it's all about what you're used to. You don't visualize 500 meters, you just see the 0/5 kiometer. home
bookmarks You can ignore relatives but the neighbours live next doordigital man wrote:
which is incredibly simple mental calculation compared to metric
This is perhaps the first time I have heard of base 10 as being difficult. The problem is not that the metric system is more difficult, it is that you learned the imperial system. The teachers will teach the imperial system and the employers will push the imperial system. So the imperial system will simply be used because it was always used. Is the English language more difficult than say... Japanese? if you were born in the country of the example, you learn it, you live it, and it is easy. Adding Japanese as a second language is difficult, just as adding English as a second language is difficult. Simply because your language is English does not mean that Japanese is necessarily confusing and illogical, it is because it does not adapt well to what you already know. So you are still basing the assumption on a narcissistic view, because you know the imperial system, metric is confusing. No, metric is confusing to you. Metric is easy if you were taught metric, adding a second standard is confusing whether you are trying to learn imperial when taught metric or vice versa.
digital man wrote:
Then again, I guess it's all about what you're used to.
exactly. _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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digital man wrote:
But I can 'see' 3/16 of an inch. I have no idea what 12245mm looks like.
Indeed...... Anyone know the origins of the Imperial system then, and why it splits things down in a rather odd way? "Now I guess I'll sit back and watch people misinterpret what I just said......" Christian Graus At The Soapbox
RichardGrimmer wrote:
why it splits things down in a rather odd way?
So you think hexadecimal/binary is odd? ;)
Using the GridView is like trying to explain to someone else how to move a third person's hands in order to tie your shoelaces for you. -Chris Maunder
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I am 5' 9" tall and weigh 13st 3lb (I like to think it's all muscle :)) NOT 175cm and 84kg. This metric stuff does keep the brain agile though as I have to do simultaneous conversion from metric to Imperial in order to communicate with my children who only deal in "the dark side". I still remember having to write your own code in FORTRAN rather than be a cut and paste merchant being pampered by colour coded Intellisense - ahh proper programming - those were the days :)
Baconbutty wrote:
175cm and 84kg.
You are 1.75 meters which is extremely easy to visualize. I have to deal with nautical miles, statutary miles as well as mach numbers, latitude and longitudal references (UTM anyone?), and even the fact that the "meter" is one size in Clarke1866 world reference, and another in WGS84. Even the meter has changed since it was developed as a division of earth surface (as a nautical mile is), as accurate measurement became possible the definition of a meter stayed and the measurement was adapted. Similarly the imperial system adapted independantly in the states and in England. Although you can easily visualize an inch in the USA and it looks similar to an inch in England, the two were not equal and if you measured cloth in the USA and sold it in the UK (or vice versa) basing on your measurements and not theirs you will end up in a lawsuit for shorting your customers, or giving out more to your customer than they expect. _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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Jan R Hansen wrote:
You have to "learn" (ie. memorize) that as well, whereas 1 meter and 1 kilometer makes sense
Without wishing to be rude you are talking nonsense. It's precisly the same. You still had to learn the metric system as a means to measure the difference between two points, for instance. Just knowing that there are 1000 meters in a kilometer does not give you the mental tools to visualise a kilometer just as I had to learn how long a mile is or how long a yard is or why that pot looks like it has about a pint of liquid in it or that htis hammer wieghs about 2lbs. home
bookmarks You can ignore relatives but the neighbours live next dooryes and no. I completely agree that you have to learn the mental perception of 1 meter and 1 kilometer more or less independent of each other - as with yard and mile. Sorry, I know what I wrote is easily interpreted the other way. However - being coupled by a factor of 1000 (and I can see that from the "kilo", right... :) ) , I _could_ find out how log a kilometer is once I know what a meter is. That would be impossible with yard and mile. But yes - its the same otherwise. Do you know why it's important to make fast decisions? Because you give yourself more time to correct your mistakes, when you find out that you made the wrong one. Chris Meech on deciding whether to go to his daughters graduation or a Neil Young concert
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That's the sound of me falling off my chair in laughter at: http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article354780.ece[^] "Now I guess I'll sit back and watch people misinterpret what I just said......" Christian Graus At The Soapbox
Did you catch the BT banner ad to the right? Spot on! :laugh: Alvaro
... since we've descended to name calling, I'm thinking you're about twenty pounds of troll droppings in a ten pound bag. - Vincent Reynolds
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Jan R Hansen wrote:
why are these ancient scales still in use ? The metric system makes sense, dammit !
I know what you mean. I worked in coninental Europe for 18 months and I'm almost all metric now. The only thin I still measure in imperial units are road distances (because I don't really have a choice). * My scales are set to kg and I'll talk about weights in kg * I irritate the staff at Tesco by demanding a half kilo of this and a kilo of that. (EU law says they have to use kilos - their signs are all in imperial except for a tiny 8pt conversion in metric to satisfy the law) * I confused the salesman at the local carpet warehouse by fronting up with measurements in square metres. ColinMackay.net Scottish Developers are looking for speakers for user group sessions over the next few months. Do you want to know more?
I love it :) Not sure which one I like the most - Tesco or carpet warehouse - but it's brilliant. :laugh: Do you know why it's important to make fast decisions? Because you give yourself more time to correct your mistakes, when you find out that you made the wrong one. Chris Meech on deciding whether to go to his daughters graduation or a Neil Young concert
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That's the sound of me falling off my chair in laughter at: http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article354780.ece[^] "Now I guess I'll sit back and watch people misinterpret what I just said......" Christian Graus At The Soapbox
May I ask what's so funny about an ambulance for obese people? :~ Interesting, maybe. A sad commentary on nutrition and health in the U.S., maybe. But fall-out-of-your-chair funny? Not really. Barry Etter
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digital man wrote:
which is incredibly simple mental calculation compared to metric
This is perhaps the first time I have heard of base 10 as being difficult. The problem is not that the metric system is more difficult, it is that you learned the imperial system. The teachers will teach the imperial system and the employers will push the imperial system. So the imperial system will simply be used because it was always used. Is the English language more difficult than say... Japanese? if you were born in the country of the example, you learn it, you live it, and it is easy. Adding Japanese as a second language is difficult, just as adding English as a second language is difficult. Simply because your language is English does not mean that Japanese is necessarily confusing and illogical, it is because it does not adapt well to what you already know. So you are still basing the assumption on a narcissistic view, because you know the imperial system, metric is confusing. No, metric is confusing to you. Metric is easy if you were taught metric, adding a second standard is confusing whether you are trying to learn imperial when taught metric or vice versa.
digital man wrote:
Then again, I guess it's all about what you're used to.
exactly. _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
I am taking the piss. Anything that you're not used to is difficult. The real point is all you metric fascists think that you're the one and only. You're not. Actually I'm fairly comfortable in metric other than 2 areas: distance and temperature and I can fudge those when the need arises although in the UK and the US there isn't much need to get used to distance in metric and I just prefer 45F to 14C. Hey, it's the weekend! Yay! Enjoy either in base 10, 12 16 or 60. Whatever floats your boat. home
bookmarks You can ignore relatives but the neighbours live next door -
yes and no. I completely agree that you have to learn the mental perception of 1 meter and 1 kilometer more or less independent of each other - as with yard and mile. Sorry, I know what I wrote is easily interpreted the other way. However - being coupled by a factor of 1000 (and I can see that from the "kilo", right... :) ) , I _could_ find out how log a kilometer is once I know what a meter is. That would be impossible with yard and mile. But yes - its the same otherwise. Do you know why it's important to make fast decisions? Because you give yourself more time to correct your mistakes, when you find out that you made the wrong one. Chris Meech on deciding whether to go to his daughters graduation or a Neil Young concert
Jan R Hansen wrote:
That would be impossible with yard and mile
It is completely the same. I know that a mile is 1760 yards. If I'm used to that why would it be any harder? I just factor a little differently from you, that's all. I reflex it I don't even have to think about it. Stop thinking that metric is the one true god: it isn't. home
bookmarks You can ignore relatives but the neighbours live next door -
I am taking the piss. Anything that you're not used to is difficult. The real point is all you metric fascists think that you're the one and only. You're not. Actually I'm fairly comfortable in metric other than 2 areas: distance and temperature and I can fudge those when the need arises although in the UK and the US there isn't much need to get used to distance in metric and I just prefer 45F to 14C. Hey, it's the weekend! Yay! Enjoy either in base 10, 12 16 or 60. Whatever floats your boat. home
bookmarks You can ignore relatives but the neighbours live next doordigital man wrote:
all you metric fascists think that you're the one and only. You're not.
nor are the imperial fascists. I use both. I was given the choice, imperial or both, I chose both. I can calculate the speed of sound at sea level given average temperature and humidity too in both metric, nautical miles per hour and statutary miles per hour. If you set the limit that you do not want to learn, you will not, doesn't matter if it is binary, or decimal. The only advantage with metric, is that it doesn't change when you moved across the atlantic. For a very long time a foot was not a foot was not a foot, even after standardization because they were standardized independantly. Even after the inch and foot was standardized between England and the USA, england adapted to the standardization, but the USA refused because their existing measurement was within acceptable "error" -- so they forced someone else to meet most of the way and refused to come even the smaller portion to meet. _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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digital man wrote:
I have no idea what 12245mm looks like.
About the width of my house. ColinMackay.net Scottish Developers are looking for speakers for user group sessions over the next few months. Do you want to know more?
Colin Angus Mackay wrote:
About the width of my house.
Yikes! That's a small house! ---sig---
Might I suggest that the universe was always the size of the cosmos. It is just that at one point the cosmos was the size of a marble. -- Colin Angus Mackay Silence is the voice of complicity PS. If you don't understand my sarcasm -- go to hell! -
May I ask what's so funny about an ambulance for obese people? :~ Interesting, maybe. A sad commentary on nutrition and health in the U.S., maybe. But fall-out-of-your-chair funny? Not really. Barry Etter
I tend to agree with you, especially from the standpoint of helping and protecting the EMT's and other ambulance personnel. That is difficult work in the first place, and not having the proper tools to care for a patient (especially when they weigh more than 250 pounds) doesn't help.
Software Zen:
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Colin Angus Mackay wrote:
About the width of my house.
Yikes! That's a small house! ---sig---
Might I suggest that the universe was always the size of the cosmos. It is just that at one point the cosmos was the size of a marble. -- Colin Angus Mackay Silence is the voice of complicity PS. If you don't understand my sarcasm -- go to hell!ahz wrote:
That's a small house!
Actaully, I thought it was a reasonably sized family house. Certainly if I was living in Edinburgh I'd be expecting somewhere in the region of £350,000+ (€511,000 US$612,000). ColinMackay.net Scottish Developers are looking for speakers for user group sessions over the next few months. Do you want to know more?
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Jan R Hansen wrote:
That would be impossible with yard and mile
It is completely the same. I know that a mile is 1760 yards. If I'm used to that why would it be any harder? I just factor a little differently from you, that's all. I reflex it I don't even have to think about it. Stop thinking that metric is the one true god: it isn't. home
bookmarks You can ignore relatives but the neighbours live next door> I know that a mile is 1760 yards. If I'm used to that why would it be any harder? I just factor a > little differently from you, that's all Express 3" 7/16th in terms of miles. Now perform the same type of unit conversion using the metric system (I dunno, say, what's 5mm expressed as kilometers?) The instant you have to do any conversion or scaling, imperial is just a bitch to work with.
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May I ask what's so funny about an ambulance for obese people? :~ Interesting, maybe. A sad commentary on nutrition and health in the U.S., maybe. But fall-out-of-your-chair funny? Not really. Barry Etter
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Jan R Hansen wrote:
That would be impossible with yard and mile
It is completely the same. I know that a mile is 1760 yards. If I'm used to that why would it be any harder? I just factor a little differently from you, that's all. I reflex it I don't even have to think about it. Stop thinking that metric is the one true god: it isn't. home
bookmarks You can ignore relatives but the neighbours live next dooreasy, now :) Yes - you know that a mile is 1760 yards. But how should I ? in the metric system, things are "systematic", whereas in the imperial system you have to "know" how many "x" that go on a "y". Im not saying nor thinking that the metric system is the one true god - I'm saying that it is more logical when it comes to understanding it - if you don't know it beforehand. I.e. it is easier for a british/us guy to get used to the metric system than for a eu-guy to get used to the imperial system, simply because the units are more difficult to convert between in your mind. Im tempted to say "stop thinking imperial is the one true god: it isn't" - but I don't think thats what you think :) Do you know why it's important to make fast decisions? Because you give yourself more time to correct your mistakes, when you find out that you made the wrong one. Chris Meech on deciding whether to go to his daughters graduation or a Neil Young concert