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why is the US not Metric

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forrestc:

--- Quote from: bsfeechannel on February 18, 2020, 05:22:49 pm ---In this thread we've shown that it is expensive to maintain two systems of units.

--- End quote ---

Let me ask you what you're advocating here, so we're clear:

Take building lumber.  Today in the US, the most commonly used building stud size is 38x89 mm.   Are you advocating just labeling it 38x89 instead of "2x4" which really means "1.5inx3.5in" (don't get me started)?   Or changing to some metricated "rounded" dimension like 40x90 and 40x140?

If you look at the building specs in our "metricated" neighbor to the north, you'll find that the stud sizes and things like minimum spans are listed in metric dimensions which are oddly not even.  Such as the maximum stud spacing is listed as 406mm which just happens to be 16inches converted to metric and rounded to the nearest mm.

Because there are two completely different things going on here.   If you're labeling the exact same things and just calling them by their metric sizes instead of their inch sizes, that's an entirely different thing than what most people think of when they think 'go metric'.   The average Joe thinks about having the government forcing them to use 40x90 studs now and abolishing their traditional bolts and screws they've used for many many years.   




KL27x:

--- Quote from: boffin on February 18, 2020, 04:22:43 pm ---I find it interesting that Japan, a very isolationist country (even more so than the United States) decided to switch to Metric in the late 19th century.
--- End quote ---
I find it was more interesting that Japan's own customary system goes by factors of ten. And before they officially adopted metric, they adopted and legally recognized english units, in 1909.

Did Japan make english units officiallly legal/recognized because they made more sense? They liked the 12, 3, 5280 so much better than their factors of ten? Or was it for practical reasons?

Who do you think has more practical reasons to use english units? 1909 Japan or current day US?

twospoons:

--- Quote from: forrestc on February 18, 2020, 04:08:14 pm ---and people don't like change.. 

--- End quote ---

That's it in a nutshell. Everything else is merely justifying that statement.

KL27x:
^Hello, Boffin Jr! :)

And around we go.  :scared:

ebastler:

--- Quote from: SkyMaster on February 18, 2020, 11:32:32 pm ---
--- Quote from: Mr. Scram on February 18, 2020, 05:35:56 pm ---Just when I thought this thread couldn't be more disappointing it devolved into doxing.

--- End quote ---

Yet, you wrote this in Reply #1310:


--- Quote from: Mr. Scram on February 18, 2020, 05:17:48 pm ---What's your home address?

--- End quote ---

 ???

--- End quote ---

What emoticon would it have taken to make you understand the sarcasm in Mr. Scram's comment #1310?

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