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why is the US not Metric
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KL27x:

--- Quote from: vk6zgo on December 05, 2019, 02:25:20 pm ---Just call the bloody thing a "tonne", even pronounce it as it's spelled.
"tonne" is always the same, whether I pronounce it funny or not!

--- End quote ---
Interesting. I didn't know it's pronounced differently. I can't figure out how it should sound.


--- Quote ---Even the most obscure metric prefixes can be related back to familiar ones, by simply working out what the prefix stands for
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So you just work it out with your knowledge of latin? Or do you mean, you have to actually look it up?


--- Quote --- & calculating what the measurement is in those familiar units, using powers of ten.
All the panoply of Imperial measures require individual translation.
--- End quote ---
If by panoply, you mean a very tiny handful of units that are so common they each have a single syllable name that is instantly recognizable, yeah. There's a panoply Americans have no trouble knowing. The ones you may have used as a colony of Britain were obviously too many for an average brain, hearing of your troubles! In America, we manage to only use the ones that are useful to us.


--- Quote ---The difference is, with rods, furlongs, etc, is that you don't save any zeros, you just end up with lots of odd numbers.

--- End quote ---
Exactly why no one in America in the last 100 years has ever used these weird units that you guys mention. No wonder the backlash is so strong. Sounds like Britain tortured you guys by making you measure things in chains and furlongs. Probably to cheat you guys in trade, lol.
 
All of the former commonwealth has followed mother UK into metrication, but American feels no need to stop using imperial. If you guys are metric but you still like and know your british imperial units, no wonder you can't stand american customary. Pints is wrong! Ton is wrong! Gallon is wrong! Here, we just use the units which are legally defined by metric and cover daily life, and we don't worry about what Britain did 100 years ago. Or what you guys did up until however many decades ago. For some strange reason, you care what we do... even though you stopped using imperial, altogether. Our imperial is short and sweet and consistent and easily converted back and forth to metric, and it causes no trouble in our daily lives. It sounds like that was never the case in Australia.

Most metric-only people could easily live in America without a care, only figuring out how many gallons of gas fit in their car (but most people just look at the price) and getting the feel for F and for miles. But someone from a former british colony would apparently experience PTSD.

To wit:

--- Quote ---The Brits know what an Imperial ton is----2240lbs!
--- End quote ---
This is imperial. And it is a seemingly random and inconvenient number. And you don't use it. But you care about it. The Brits know!

--- Quote ---For some unfathomable reason, the USA uses both the local ton & the Imperial ton in commerce
--- End quote ---
I would venture guess that the american or short ton (a "metricized" 2000 lb) was/is used for civil engineering more than trade. The only other country to have ever officially recognized an American ton was Canada. I would venture that if we still use "normal" tons for international trade, it's with businesses in other former british colonies that still use them. But if one American business wants to trade with another American business in big blue buckets, that doesn't concern me. If I wanted to enter into that business, I would pick up a calculator.

But I concede. America fucked up to call this engineering ton a "ton." And to start calling the "real ton" a "long ton." American should have given the 2000 lb ton a unique name. Like Britain kinda sorta did by adding the "-ne" and apparently pronouncing it differently. Tunnay? Maybe we can start calling meters yardays? :)
bsfeechannel:

--- Quote from: Mr. Scram on December 04, 2019, 11:11:40 pm ---You guys are still going at it eh?  :-DD :palm:

--- End quote ---

Of course. There's nothing more hilarious than to see a bunch of guys defending the imperial system on an engineering forum.
Tepe:

--- Quote from: Cubdriver on December 05, 2019, 08:30:40 pm ---
--- Quote from: Tepe on December 05, 2019, 03:12:28 pm --- (Attachment Link)

--- End quote ---

I too have never in my life heard the term 'millimicrofarad'.

--- End quote ---
In a way those 6 8/10 volts are more fun :-)
CatalinaWOW:

--- Quote from: bsfeechannel on December 05, 2019, 10:37:21 pm ---
--- Quote from: Mr. Scram on December 04, 2019, 11:11:40 pm ---You guys are still going at it eh?  :-DD :palm:

--- End quote ---

Of course. There's nothing more hilarious than to see a bunch of guys defending the imperial system on an engineering forum.

--- End quote ---

Almost as funny as someone imposing engineering practice on the entire population.  Kind of like asking everyone to wear a pocket protector.  It really is practical.  It protects the shirts.  It makes loading up in the morning more efficient and the same with unloading in the evening after work.  I can't imagine why everyone doesn't come on board.   Just think of the savings.  ;D :-DD
KL27x:
^Lul. But you can't wear it only when you are carrying a pen. You don't realize the true savings and convenience until you burn all your pocketless shirts and wear it all the time! We did it! You can, too!

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When you pinch off a loaf and look in the toilet, you have to see it in cm. Anything else is a thought crime that costs the world a bunch of money. And progress.
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