Debate/Poll: Metric or English?

[Timber Loftis]

Originally posted by TheCrimsomBlade: Actually it is Metric and American standard because the English use metric and have for a long long time so don't call it Metric and English. Metric is a measurement and English is A Language and A People. American standard beats the hell out of Metric in my opinion but I'm an American so I have used it for 50 years and it is automatic in my thinking and measuring. It is based on the number 12 same as all of europe used until they let the Japaniese dictate math to them and since canada always follows mother England they adopted it in 1965 sorry I can't vote on your poll because they are both a vote for metric and the reason you think that metric is better is because you have the same problem with the Language. You have no Idea what you are talking about. Next time Please try to get your facts straight before you try to make a poll thank you and now you can go out and play in the snow, you know that cold white stuff.

France was a land. England was a people.
F. S. Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

This post got a few responses. Tossing the semantics arguments and metric, English, Imperial, American nomenclature debate aside, I'll simply note it was RUDE at best. Oh well, no one says you have to be nice all the time.

[Sir Krustin]

The metric system is a more logical one, and as some others pointed out a gallon isn't necessarily a gallon. Standardization is a good thing, it's one of the founding principles of the industrial revolution.

[Davros]

Originally posted by Timber Loftis: This post got a few responses. Tossing the semantics arguments and metric, English, Imperial, American nomenclature debate aside, I'll simply note it was RUDE at best. Oh well, no one says you have to be nice all the time.

Uh TL - did we get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? I re-read the topic to try and find where someone had been rude or objectionable but came up a blank. Perhaps it is just the wholesale questioning of the imperial way of life that you find so offensive.

Don't worry ole pal - I'll be nice - I'm sure the rest of the world isn't about to drag you kicking and screaming into the century of the fruitbat if you don't want to come .

[Donut]

A few points from someone who has experienced both systems.

I can't relate to heights and weights when described in the metric system. Then again I can't relate to weight in the Imperial system when given in lbs only, only when put in terms of stones and pounds (14lbs make 1 stone) does it mean anything.. If an American states a weight in lbs I have to convert it. Firstly I have to remind myself if it's 14 or 16 lbs in a stone. Then I have to divide the number of lbs by 14.

If I have to do calculations it's far better to do them in the metric system because of the consistency of units. In the imperial system we have 16 ounces in a pound and 14 pounds in a stone. The Americans tried to be more consistent by changing the number of fluid ounces in a pint to 16, (as against the BriTish who use 20). That is the reason why an American gallon is only 4/5ths of a BriTish gallon. 'A pint of water weighs a pound and a quarter' execpt in America where it weighs a pound!

I prefer to use faranheit when thinking about heat. I know 90 degrees is bloody hot but in the winter centigrade is much better.

How would we devise a system of measuring time in the metric system? Time lends itself to be measured in a duodecimal kind of way. And if the metric system is worse than the Imperial system why does the USA use it for their system of currency. Only now can I see the madness of the Imperial system of LSD. 12 pennies make one shilling, 20 shillings make one £. 240 pence in a pound. I go to a shop and spend £12 5s 11d. Then I go to another shop and spend £19 11s and 10d. Can anyone tell me what change i have left from £40?

And if I go to a restaurant and want to leave 15% tip on a bill of £24 9s and 5d. How much is that in total.

Of course when I was at school I found it really simple to do calculations on volume in the imperial system:

* 4 gills = 1 pint
* 2 pints = 1 quart
* 4 quarts = 1 gallon
* 2 gallons = 1 peck
* 8 gallons (4 pecks) = 1 bushel
* 8 bushels = 1 quarter

So in conclusion. If you have only experienced the Imperial system it will be very difficult for you to appreciate the simplicity of the metric system.

But if people were to sit down today to establish the best system to deal in length, weight and volume etc then nobody in their right minds would choose anything other than the metric system.

[Yorick]

Very good post Fred. Great point about the American currency being in metric.

Any takers on THAT point?

[Sir Krustin]

Originally posted by Davros: Uh TL - did we get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? I re-read the topic to try and find where someone had been rude or objectionable but came up a blank. Perhaps it is just the wholesale questioning of the imperial way of life that you find so offensive. Don't worry ole pal - I'll be nice - I'm sure the rest of the world isn't about to drag you kicking and screaming into the century of the fruitbat if you don't want to come .

He's talking about the post he quoted - posted by TheCrimsonBlade.

FWIW, I thought he came across as just plain rude, also.

[Davros]

OBJECTION

Sustained.

I think you are right there Sir K, and I'll tender an apology to TL. I thought he was aiming the "rude" at the whole thread, but I agree that he looks to have been only aiming it at that one poster. I'll withdraw TL - let my remarks be stricken from the record.

[Timber Loftis]

So noted.

[Vaskez]

Imperial units are for donkeys. Although an intelligent person is conversant in both [img]smile.gif[/img] and knows how to convert between them.

[HolyWarrior]

Metric time.
1 day = 10 metric hours
1 metric hour = 2.4 hours = 144 minutes
1 metric hour = 100 metric minutes
1 metric minute = 1.44 minutes = 86.4 seconds
1 metric minute = 100 metric seconds
1 metric second = .864 seconds

I use the metric version of the old terms because "decidays, millidays", etc. sounds silly.

Personally I think the biggest reason the U.S. hasn't switched to metric is American football.