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Should the US Adopt the Metric System?

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  • Teallaura
    replied
    Originally posted by Raphael View Post
    I might buy that argument if the rest of the world hadn't managed to convert to the metric system with no major hiccups.
    Most of the rest of the world did so before they had invented cars - or thermostats on ovens.

    And they didn't, actually. France had to abandon metric in currency. There were hiccups - but in a day and age when they were least likely to kill someone and when it really didn't matter if every individual used metric or not - Granny didn't own a measuring cup, recipes rarely used any measures beyond counts, it didn't matter to the horse if the next feed bag was 2 miles or 2 kilometers away, etc...

    Leave a comment:


  • Joel
    replied
    Everyone should use the old base-2 system to make things easier for us computer scientists:

    tun = 2 pipes
    pipe = 2 hogsheads
    hoghshead = 2 barrels
    barrel = 2 casks
    cask = 2 coombs
    coomb = 2 strikes
    strike = 2 bushels
    bushel = 2 pails
    pail = 2 pecks
    peck = 2 gallons
    gallon = 2 pottles
    pottle = 2 quarts
    quart = 2 pints
    pint = 2 cups
    cup = 2 gills
    gill = 2 jacks
    jack= 2 jiggers
    jigger = 2 mouthfuls

    Leave a comment:


  • Raphael
    replied
    Originally posted by Teallaura View Post
    I did try to answer earlier - but both times it was eaten. Stupid phone wifi...


    1) No system is perfect.

    2) No, you misunderstand. We did this once already. The US spent a ton of money putting up metric road signs - only to have to pull them down again because it was such a dismal failure. Metric is NOT easier for someone who grew up using the US system. the terminology is new and sometimes confusing. If memory serves - I am not certain - there were even fatalities linked to the new system as drivers became confused about which numbers were which.

    We tried, we really did. It did not work. I see no good reason to try again.

    3) That was part of why it failed - it's a really bad idea to mix the systems. People get confused about which measure to use and extremely frustrated when inevitably, errors are caused by the change. One little oopsie and you just ordered a 2.5 inch part that is one and a half times too big. Modern computers might be able to bridge this gap - but I suspect you'd just end up with a bunch of hopping mad housewives who's dinners were still thawing in the 50F degree oven - or were turned to charcoal when they thought 450C was what it said...
    I might buy that argument if the rest of the world hadn't managed to convert to the metric system with no major hiccups.

    Leave a comment:


  • shunyadragon
    replied
    Originally posted by Teallaura View Post
    I did try to answer earlier - but both times it was eaten. Stupid phone wifi...


    1) No system is perfect.

    2) No, you misunderstand. We did this once already. The US spent a ton of money putting up metric road signs - only to have to pull them down again because it was such a dismal failure. Metric is NOT easier for someone who grew up using the US system. the terminology is new and sometimes confusing. If memory serves - I am not certain - there were even fatalities linked to the new system as drivers became confused about which numbers were which.
    Putting up new metric signs did not fail. It was simply not followed through with as it should have been.

    We tried, we really did. It did not work. I see no good reason to try again.

    3) That was part of why it failed - it's a really bad idea to mix the systems. People get confused about which measure to use and extremely frustrated when inevitably, errors are caused by the change. One little oopsie and you just ordered a 2.5 inch part that is one and a half times too big. Modern computers might be able to bridge this gap - but I suspect you'd just end up with a bunch of hopping mad housewives who's dinners were still thawing in the 50F degree oven - or were turned to charcoal when they thought 450C was what it said...
    You should not mix systems, we lost multi-million dollar satellite and more because of this foolishness. We need to give up the ancient nostalgia where our measurement is the length of the king's foot.

    Leave a comment:


  • Teallaura
    replied
    Originally posted by stfoskey15 View Post
    You're right that the current system is possible to learn. But like our spelling system, it is more complicated than it needs to be.

    And plus, with regards to signage, some states use sequential exit numbers and some use mileage-based exit numbers and everything seems to work out okay.
    Also, I don't see why it would be so hard to at least use metric for everything in the future. For example, a 1 inch part could become a 2.54 centimeter part.
    I did try to answer earlier - but both times it was eaten. Stupid phone wifi...


    1) No system is perfect.

    2) No, you misunderstand. We did this once already. The US spent a ton of money putting up metric road signs - only to have to pull them down again because it was such a dismal failure. Metric is NOT easier for someone who grew up using the US system. the terminology is new and sometimes confusing. If memory serves - I am not certain - there were even fatalities linked to the new system as drivers became confused about which numbers were which.

    We tried, we really did. It did not work. I see no good reason to try again.

    3) That was part of why it failed - it's a really bad idea to mix the systems. People get confused about which measure to use and extremely frustrated when inevitably, errors are caused by the change. One little oopsie and you just ordered a 2.5 inch part that is one and a half times too big. Modern computers might be able to bridge this gap - but I suspect you'd just end up with a bunch of hopping mad housewives who's dinners were still thawing in the 50F degree oven - or were turned to charcoal when they thought 450C was what it said...

    Leave a comment:


  • klaus54
    replied
    Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
    I want Navy ships measured in cubits instead of feet.
    Which cubit? It depends on whose arm.

    Leave a comment:


  • klaus54
    replied
    Originally posted by 37818 View Post
    That is the modern international meter. In 1866 the US didn't have lasers, and it was by an act of congress 1866 that a meter was defined to be exactly 39.37 inches for land measurement.
    Of course for you science stopped in 1866.

    Leave a comment:


  • klaus54
    replied
    The standard U.S. energy unit ought to be the cwt x milli-nautical miles. Where "cwt" = U.S. hundredweight.

    "Velocity of a sheep in a vacuum" -

    Leave a comment:


  • Jedidiah
    replied
    Defective site. No conversion for the slug.

    Leave a comment:


  • Mountain Man
    replied
    Originally posted by stfoskey15 View Post
    It seems to me that it would make sense for the U.S. to adopt the metric system as its official system of units. It is much easier to convert units in the within the metric system, and it would (eventually) end the need to convert from the U.S. customary system to the metric system. With only one set of units needed for manufacturing products, foreign trade would also be easier. While there would be some costs to adopt it, it seems as though the time saved from no longer having to use the old system would eventually pay off.

    I figure we should pick up where we left off and finish changing all the highway signs to metric. There are already a couple highways with metric signs that were put up when the U.S. first tried to switch in the 1970s (eg. I-19).

    And just for reference, here is a history of the metric system in the United States: http://science.howstuffworks.com/why...ric-system.htm
    One group or another has been trying to convert us to the metric system since the 70s. It didn't happen then, and it probably won't happen now.

    Leave a comment:


  • One Bad Pig
    replied
    Originally posted by klaus54 View Post
    Just the opposite for me. I believe staying with the U.S. Customary System is one factor in the poor general maths knowledge in U.S. kids.
    Not sure how that correlates. One needs to use more math in the US system; wouldn't the extra necessary practice help rather than hinder?

    Leave a comment:


  • Cow Poke
    replied
    Originally posted by klaus54 View Post
    Just the opposite for me. I believe staying with the U.S. Customary System is one factor in the poor general maths knowledge in U.S. kids.

    But I DO think speed should be measured in furlongs/fortnight and body weight in stones and (avoirdupois) pounds.

    And I do like the "slug".
    I want Navy ships measured in cubits instead of feet.

    Leave a comment:


  • Raphael
    replied
    Originally posted by klaus54 View Post
    Just the opposite for me. I believe staying with the U.S. Customary System is one factor in the poor general maths knowledge in U.S. kids.

    But I DO think speed should be measured in furlongs/fortnight and body weight in stones and (avoirdupois) pounds.

    And I do like the "slug".
    http://www.theregister.co.uk/Design/...converter.html

    Leave a comment:


  • klaus54
    replied
    Originally posted by Jedidiah View Post
    Fixed it for you, there is no civilization anywhere in this world.

    When I was a kid I thought it was a great idea. Now that I am old, not so much.
    Just the opposite for me. I believe staying with the U.S. Customary System is one factor in the poor general maths knowledge in U.S. kids.

    But I DO think speed should be measured in furlongs/fortnight and body weight in stones and (avoirdupois) pounds.

    And I do like the "slug".

    Leave a comment:


  • Jedidiah
    replied
    MNLMnaf.jpg

    Leave a comment:

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