America And The Metric System

[CyberGnu]

I think the costs would even out... Just compare the next ****-up on the NASA shuttle scale, and how much that costs...

Why is it important? Do you people realize how disadvantaged your scientists and engineers are? Science and engineering is done in metric. There is no argument there. If you are used to the metric system you have an innate understanding of scale, something you completely lack when you are only used to whatever archaic system you favor...


But of course, telling Joe Shmoe that he has to exercise his two befuddled braincells for the good of the country is un-american, isn't it?

[faded glory]

"? Do you people realize how disadvantaged your scientists and engineers are? "

So what? Conversions are incredibly easy to pull off.

[Asher]

You shouldn't have to convert, the imperial system makes no sense.

America should have bit the bullet and converted long ago, like Canada.

[OzzyKP]

I of course am American, and a stereotypically pig-headed, boastful American at that, and I think we should make the switch. I'll probably never be able to think in terms of metric, but hell, if we are the only true resister to a system the whole world has embraced, then we should go along. It'd make things much easier, especially in this time of globalization.

And I like the suggestion made earlier, we switch officially to metric, and you all switch your languages to English. I'd much rather learn meters and liters than German and French. Get moving, chop chop.

[faded glory]

"But of course, telling Joe Shmoe that he has to exercise his two befuddled braincells for the good of the country is un-american, isn't it?"

Bah so if the rest of the world commits mass suicide I suppose we should as well? The "Everybody else" uses it excuse is crap. I think most americans understand the Metric system, hell they still teach it in science/math class dont they? I prefer ours. My car gets 17 miles to the gallon. And thats the way I like it!

[Boris Godunov]

Yes, we should go metric. It's long overdue. But I don't see it happening anytime soon.

[alva]

Originally posted by DarthVeda
Hey if we go Metric, will the rest of Europe give something back and go English?

allready have

[Jack_www]

I hate the english system of messurements, I cant ever remember how and pints are in this and how many quarts are in that. Metric system is way better, allthough if we swicthed take me awile to get a feel for how long a meter is and a kilometer. In school we use metric system mostly, especially in science classes. The rest of the world uses the metric system, why cant we here in America? Dont understand, I guess people just dont want to change and want to stick to what they know. Even Britain were the English system came form is now using metric.

[Jack_www]

sorry dp

[Jack_www]

Originally posted by faded glory
"? Do you people realize how disadvantaged your scientists and engineers are? "

So what? Conversions are incredibly easy to pull off.

I remember when that mission to mars failed because they forgot to convert the readings form english to metric. Millions of dollars down the tubes because we insist on using an archic measurement system, it would make it easier for a whole lot of thing if we went to metric, and metric is much easier to learn then the english system.

[Aeson]

ick.. n/m

[Ethelred]

Originally posted by Immortal Wombat
eg. NASA's Mars screwup. Case in point...

That was the damn manufacturers screwup. JPL works in metric and the specs were in metric.


I grew up with the British-American system. I think in it. It still sucks.

'I need a new pump please. 30 farquarts per fortnight are the specs.'

Those are real dimensions. Fortunately farguarts stayed in England and few Americans call two weeks a forthnight. Considering those two I understand why Britain abandoned the old one as they had an even worse mess than we do in the US. Gallons AND imperial gallons.

[CyberGnu]

Faded:

"? Do you people realize how disadvantaged your scientists and engineers are? "

So what? Conversions are incredibly easy to pull off.

Faded, you are not an engineer then, I guess.

Sure, one conversion is fine. Maybe two. But when you have an equation with ten variables, and every single one of them has to be converted to metric, you not only increase the time it takes but you also vastly increase the possibility of a mistake.

And take my word for it, when you are studying a subject like regulation processing and you are laplace transforming 4x4 matrixes where each matrix element contains five or ten variables, just having to error check your solution one more time takes three or four hours... And most of the time just because you multiplied a stupid conversion factor instead of dividing.

Not that I expect you to get it... As long as you car does the 19 miles per gallon, those two braincells prefer to be in a comfortable resting state, I suspect...

[CyberGnu]

ethelred, why does it matter whether it was the manufactorers fault? Except absolving NASA from blame, I mean.

[Ethelred]

Originally posted by CyberGnu
ethelred, why does it matter whether it was the manufactorers fault? Except absolving NASA from blame, I mean.

My sister-in-law works at JPL. Is that a good enough reason?