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UK back to "imperial" measurements ?
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tooki:

--- Quote from: TimFox on June 01, 2022, 03:57:19 pm ---My comment on an older post:
Sometime around 1980, my local supermarket installed new electronic scales at the deli counter that read out in decimal pounds (to two decimal places).
I would normally buy a pound of sliced meat to make five lunches per week, but that week I would be out of town for two days.
I asked the young lady for "six tenths of a pound".  No response.
I then asked her for "zero point six pounds".  No response.
Repeat:  "zero point six pounds, like it reads out on the scale".  No response.
Finally, I asked her for "9.5 ounces":  She went to the back room where there was a conversion table posted, and finally gave me what I needed.

--- End quote ---
Oy vey...

I mean, what did the conversion table tell her that you didn't already?!?
TimFox:

--- Quote from: tooki on June 01, 2022, 05:07:34 pm ---
--- Quote from: TimFox on June 01, 2022, 03:57:19 pm ---My comment on an older post:
Sometime around 1980, my local supermarket installed new electronic scales at the deli counter that read out in decimal pounds (to two decimal places).
I would normally buy a pound of sliced meat to make five lunches per week, but that week I would be out of town for two days.
I asked the young lady for "six tenths of a pound".  No response.
I then asked her for "zero point six pounds".  No response.
Repeat:  "zero point six pounds, like it reads out on the scale".  No response.
Finally, I asked her for "9.5 ounces":  She went to the back room where there was a conversion table posted, and finally gave me what I needed.

--- End quote ---
Oy vey...

I mean, what did the conversion table tell her that you didn't already?!?

--- End quote ---

I assume it showed an explicit numerical expression.  She had not been trained in what the new machine's display meant, and could not relate it to my careful spoken English.
tggzzz:

--- Quote from: penfold on June 01, 2022, 04:40:26 pm ---I can't say I have a particular objection to a re-normalisation of imperial units in day-to-day useage, so long as they'll be kind when it comes to cost-to-weight comparisons... asking how many £/lb or lb/£ could get tedious.

--- End quote ---

I do. Most people are poor at arithmetic in bases 3, 4, 8, 12, 14, 16, 20, 22, 112 etc etc etc. And that's even assuming they will know which base to use.
tooki:

--- Quote from: TimFox on June 01, 2022, 05:09:14 pm ---
--- Quote from: tooki on June 01, 2022, 05:07:34 pm ---I mean, what did the conversion table tell her that you didn't already?!?

--- End quote ---

I assume it showed an explicit numerical expression.  She had not been trained in what the new machine's display meant, and could not relate it to my careful spoken English.

--- End quote ---
Oh my. I would question whether anyone who can't convert a spoken "zero point 6" to 0.6 in their head should be allowed anywhere near food, money, or anything else of consequence!!
Zero999:

--- Quote from: tooki on June 01, 2022, 05:26:25 pm ---
--- Quote from: TimFox on June 01, 2022, 05:09:14 pm ---
--- Quote from: tooki on June 01, 2022, 05:07:34 pm ---I mean, what did the conversion table tell her that you didn't already?!?

--- End quote ---

I assume it showed an explicit numerical expression.  She had not been trained in what the new machine's display meant, and could not relate it to my careful spoken English.

--- End quote ---
Oh my. I would question whether anyone who can't convert a spoken "zero point 6" to 0.6 in their head should be allowed anywhere near food, money, or anything else of consequence!!

--- End quote ---
Grocery store staff are often not the brightest, especially those who have worked there full time for a long time.


--- Quote from: TimFox on June 01, 2022, 03:57:19 pm ---
--- Quote from: IanB on May 30, 2022, 08:28:18 am ---Here in the USA I do like being able to ask for "half a pound" of something at the deli counter. I never could get used to "quarter of a kilogram" or "250 grams".

If you went to Tesco and asked for "a quarter of the farmhouse cheddar" would that automatically be understood as 250 g these days?

--- End quote ---

My comment on an older post:
Sometime around 1980, my local supermarket installed new electronic scales at the deli counter that read out in decimal pounds (to two decimal places).
I would normally buy a pound of sliced meat to make five lunches per week, but that week I would be out of town for two days.
I asked the young lady for "six tenths of a pound".  No response.
I then asked her for "zero point six pounds".  No response.
Repeat:  "zero point six pounds, like it reads out on the scale".  No response.
Finally, I asked her for "9.5 ounces":  She went to the back room where there was a conversion table posted, and finally gave me what I needed.
There was an older lady there with a German accent, and I joked with her that it was just like the Olympics:  "Null Komma sechs".

--- End quote ---
Decimal imperial units are quite common, but I've not known a scale like that. If it was for weighing large objects, up to hundreds of pounds that would be fair enough. It would make more sense to just use ounces. I have some kitchen scales which a resolution of 0.05oz, when set to ounces. I normally have it set to grams, which is slightly more precision, although I imagine it doesn't make any difference, since 0.05oz is probably the limit to its repeatability.
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