NationStates Jolt Archive

Which system of measurement do you use? Which do you prefer? And what do you have to say about those who use the other one? :D

Metric. More importantly isn't one of these threads still on the third page...?

Metric. Metric. They should use metric.

Which system of measurement do you use? Which do you prefer? And what do you have to say about those who use the other one? :D

Metric is better for physics and whatnot, being mass derived. For hydraulics and structural engineering, the force derived USCS is more conveinent.

(Unless of course you start buggering around with silly shit like kilogram-force and stuff, but that would be just wrong).

Imperial.

You dang metrics, with your Kilos, Megas and Pimentos!

i have personally converted to si, even if the rest of this strange country hasn't.

The options are suprisingly like an NS Issue. I was waiting for Jeniffer Maxwell to throw a tomato at my head...

I use Both for work.
Height and Length =both.
Weight is mostly Metric though.

For my preferences, it would be metric for everything except cooking. Tablespoons and cups make more sense to me for cooking things.

Oh yah, metric is a real fucker for geotechnical applications too. Even if everyone switched, you'd still have to do a lot of work in USCS anyway to make use of the historical data. (N numbers and such like).

For my preferences, it would be metric for everything except cooking. Tablespoons and cups make more sense to me for cooking things.

of course, a tablespoon is defined as 15 ml, and a cup might as well be 250 ml, so it doesn't really matter.

Imperial owns!:D

I use Imperial for everyday applications, since it's what everyone else 'round here uses, but I'd be more than happy to switch to Metric if it became more standard in this country.

Though it would be more difficult to do the psychological switchover. I've been trained from youth to estimate things in terms of feet, inches, yards rather than meters and centimeters.

I use Imperial for everyday applications, since it's what everyone else 'round here uses, but I'd be more than happy to switch to Metric if it became more standard in this country.

Though it would be more difficult to do the psychological switchover. I've been trained from youth to estimate things in terms of feet, inches, yards rather than meters and centimeters.Yeah seriously. I can do both but if someone told me to run a kilometer I can't exactly imagine 1,000 meter sticks lined up on the road.

But I can imagine my high school track field stretched to a straight line four times as long as it is and run a mile.

Yeah seriously. I can do both but if someone told me to run a kilometer I can't exactly imagine 1,000 meter sticks lined up on the road.

But I can imagine my high school track field stretched to a straight line four times as long as it is and run a mile.
But then, could you imagine 5280 rulers lined up on a road to make a mile? Couldn't a 250-meter track stretched to a straight line four times make a kilometer?

Is it bad I had to look up how many feet are in a mile?:p

Metric, I never learnt anything else. I find Imperial very difficult to comprehend with its varying amount of sub-units. Eg: how many inches in a foot, how many feet in a yard, how many ounces in a pound, how many pounds in a stone, etc. Not to mention the differences in UK & USA Imperial systems. At least with metric the units are all the same whether you're talking about volume, distance, mass, etc.

Bloody yanks!!! USE SI UNITS YOU BACKWARD HICKS!!!! :mp5:

OK, now I've got that off my chest.

Every time I've been to the US and I've had to go and buy a drink of something in "oz"s... I have no idea how much that is, and sometimes you *can't* just grab it and see. And I wonder how a unit of mass gets translated into a bottle size.
Pounds, feet, inches, miles: I have no intuitive grasp of the size of these quantities.



And yes, I know the UK uses some of the old measurements as well, despite the best efforts of the EU. Go EU!

The options are suprisingly like an NS Issue. I was waiting for Jeniffer Maxwell to throw a tomato at my head...

Yes! Lt_Cody should submit it. :D (New issues are still being accepted, right? I remeber there was something about that being stopped after the move to jolt.)

I grew up during one of the times when the schools were really pushing metric hard, so I'm able to use both. I tend to use metric more these days because I live in Japan. However, I do have to use the other in the classroom as i teach US English.

Every time I've been to the US and I've had to go and buy a drink of something in "oz"s... I have no idea how much that is, and sometimes you *can't* just grab it and see. And I wonder how a unit of mass gets translated into a bottle size.

You won't find a single can of Coke or bottle of iced-tea in this country that doesn't have mL on it as well as oz.

I find Imperial very difficult to comprehend with its varying amount of sub-units. Eg: how many inches in a foot, how many feet in a yard, how many ounces in a pound, how many pounds in a stone

12 inches in a foot, three feet in a yard, 16 ounces in a pound...

...I'd bet nobody over here even knows what a stone is. :p

The Imperial system is just retardingly confusing and difficult to memorise and use. The Metric system is far simpler to remember and is much easier to use. It just seems like the natural system to use.

Well personally using the Imperial system just seems cooler simply due to nomenclature. But for practical purposes, seeing as I live in the states no one understands you if you use metric, and I am no good at estimating how big something is, or how heavy it is in metric, therefore the imperial system is what works for me.

But then, could you imagine 5280 rulers lined up on a road to make a mile? Couldn't a 250-meter track stretched to a straight line four times make a kilometer?

Is it bad I had to look up how many feet are in a mile?:p

I asked my dad on a trip down to the US once how many feet were in a mile, he told me (5280) and I said, "That's so stupid! I love metric so much more, with its base 10 measurements! How the hell am I supposed to remember a ridiculous number like 5820?!"
My dad: "You didn't. It was 5280."
:P
Metric is so much easier.

But then, could you imagine 5280 rulers lined up on a road to make a mile? Couldn't a 250-meter track stretched to a straight line four times make a kilometer?

Is it bad I had to look up how many feet are in a mile?:p
Yeah, considering I said already how I imagined a mile to be - my high school track field stretched to a line that's four times as long as it.

You won't find a single can of Coke or bottle of iced-tea in this country that doesn't have mL on it as well as oz.

The first time I was in the US, right after I stumbled off the plane, I went to some shop in the airport selling drinks. On the menu they quoted sizes in ozs. Said drinks were out of view, so I just had to guess. Muttering under my breath about backward hicks and SI units...

The first time I was in the US, right after I stumbled off the plane, I went to some shop in the airport selling drinks. On the menu they quoted sizes in ozs. Said drinks were out of view, so I just had to guess. Muttering under my breath about backward hicks and SI units...

I get too confused by the lack of French on anything to notice the sizes. They could be in both ozs and ml... I will never know, as I keep turning the items around, seeking the French...

*snip*
12 inches in a foot, three feet in a yard, 16 ounces in a pound...

...I'd bet nobody over here even knows what a stone is. :p

Exactly. I thought it was 14 ounces in a pound. I like metric because you know it's always divisible by 10.

I get too confused by the lack of French on anything to notice the sizes. They could be in both ozs and ml... I will never know, as I keep turning the items around, seeking the French...

Is that how to confuse Canadians & keep them preoccupied? Put a can of soft drink in front of them & let keep turning it around searching for the french? ;)

Better not let that secret out or some unscrupulous nation will set you up & invade while everyone is busy turning those cans. :p

The first time I was in the US, right after I stumbled off the plane, I went to some shop in the airport selling drinks. On the menu they quoted sizes in ozs. Said drinks were out of view, so I just had to guess. Muttering under my breath about backward hicks and SI units...

I should have clarified...

...every packaged drink has mL on it. Paper/styrofoam cups you get at restaurants/shops almost never do.

Besides, is it too difficult to decide if you are thirsty, really thirsty, or really really thirsty?? :p

The Imperial system is just retardingly confusing and difficult to memorise and use. The Metric system is far simpler to remember and is much easier to use. It just seems like the natural system to use.

It wasn't difficult for me to learn and memorize, and I have no difficulties in using it.

There is NO "natural" system. I could say the exact same thing about Metric that you said about Imperial. It all depends on the context. We grew up with the systems we use, so that's what we use.

Essentially, your only problem in learning and using Imperial (and myself using Metric) is that we're both too damn lazy to make some freakin flash cards. :p

:sniper: <o0 pretty uhmm i use both as was previously mentions many many times metric is awesome for weight also lengths buh since im bloody well stuck in this hole they call the US im a standard type of person

Here in the UK the ONLY reason kids are taught the metric system is because back in the 1970's the government sold out to Europe, and every government since then has been trying to tell us that we're in fact NOT a country at all, we're "European".

Tony Blair is especially guilty of this.

Did you know that it is now ILLEGAL in the UK to sell commodities in anything other than metric? Ammusingly the same is NOT true for distance, so in a local town some "Imperial Agents" :-) snuck out one night and put distances in imperial on all the council signs (which had distances in metric)

The Federation of Immortalgods
"Only we live forever - you'd better get used to it!"

http://www.nationstates.net/images/flags/uploads/immortalgods.jpg

In imperial you usually have 6-12, while in metric you suddenly have 15-30. :)

Metric. Not only the superior system of measurement, but an awesome band.

In imperial you usually have 6-12, while in metric you suddenly have 15-30. :)

Yes, but does it actually make a difference?

Yes, but does it actually make a difference?

Of course it does. The numbers are bigger. ;)

Of course it does. The numbers are bigger. ;)
Are you serious? That is your problem with metric? I haven't seen any decent argument against metric on this thread at all. So far we have "I'm not used to it/ I can't imagine metric quantitative values" and "the numbers are to big". Also note that this is in regards to a 'foot' (I assume), what about when you are measuring a five cent coin, or distances on a map? Now the numbers in Imprerial are too big. Besides, Fass, aren't you from Sweden anyway?

Bloody yanks!!! USE SI UNITS YOU BACKWARD HICKS!!!! :mp5:
-snip-
And yes, I know the UK uses some of the old measurements as well, despite the best efforts of the EU. Go EU!
Excuse me, but I like measuring feet with my feet! And so what if my thumb is about an inch? Wanna do something about it? I don't like carrying rulers everywhere!

Okay, so the US is backwards because we use an old measurement. But then Europe goes and continues to have royal families...erm?

But, seeing as to how I'm American, I can't comrehend the point of keeping the old monarchy's offspring alive, because they do almost nothing that I can see, other than make good tabloid front pages.

*zips on flame-suit*

*zips on flame-suit*
Hahahahahahahahahaa ha haaaa ha hee hee...ah...
You're right, I did want to flame you. But now I think you're great! You rule! That is the best way to post; say provocative things- then follow up with humour.


P.s. Where can I buy one of those flame suits? Ebay gave me nothing...

Are you serious? That is your problem with metric? I haven't seen any decent argument against metric on this thread at all. So far we have "I'm not used to it/ I can't imagine metric quantitative values" and "the numbers are to big". Also note that this is in regards to a 'foot' (I assume), what about when you are measuring a five cent coin, or distances on a map? Now the numbers in Imprerial are too big. Besides, Fass, aren't you from Sweden anyway?

Reread my posts please. Turn on your reading comprehension skills this time, please. Thank you.

Are you serious? That is your problem with metric? I haven't seen any decent argument against metric on this thread at all. So far we have "I'm not used to it/ I can't imagine metric quantitative values" and "the numbers are to big". Also note that this is in regards to a 'foot' (I assume), what about when you are measuring a five cent coin, or distances on a map? Now the numbers in Imprerial are too big. Besides, Fass, aren't you from Sweden anyway?

Uhm, I gave a great arguement against metric, the name IMPERIAL sounds wayyy too cool to give up on.

P.s. Where can I buy one of those flame suits? Ebay gave me nothing...
Well, actually my flame-suit is hand-made from those fire-proof blankets that I helped myself to on the last fire department tour I took. Then I borrowed an oxygen tank from the hospital, for when the tongues of fire come in from all sides and in mass, but you can't use it too long or you pass out. The only problem is, all the dimensions are in imperial, and I dunno if I wanna go and convert them all. And I don't know if your foot is three different sizes like mine (10.5 UK, 11 US, 45 metric). That really goofs with the material! :p

Are you new? Welcome to NS, the place where you go to waste more of your life!

I use the imperial system, but not because I think it's better. Where I work, all measurements are done in inches. When I drive, distances and speed limits are given in miles and miles/hour.

In imperial you usually have 6-12, while in metric you suddenly have 15-30. :)
Yes, but does it actually make a difference?
Soft Cocks.:p

Metric. It's all I know/been taught.

Metric. It's all I know/been taught.
What do you weigh in Stones?:p

What do you weigh in Stones?:p
Wasn't taught THAT at my Wellington primary school.. I feel cheated.

Well, actually my flame-suit is hand-made from those fire-proof blankets that I helped myself to on the last fire department tour I took. Then I borrowed an oxygen tank from the hospital, for when the tongues of fire come in from all sides and in mass, but you can't use it too long or you pass out. The only problem is, all the dimensions are in imperial, and I dunno if I wanna go and convert them all. And I don't know if your foot is three different sizes like mine (10.5 UK, 11 US, 45 metric). That really goofs with the material! :p

Are you new? Welcome to NS, the place where you go to waste more of your life!


Just when I thought that your previous post was the best in this thread so far, you go and further improve it...

Two thumbs up for wits.

As for the thread issue, I would say metric in most cases (anything dimension related actually), except for a very few applications where the Imperial rules by far, and has a cooler name all in all...

Sometimes though, its so much fun to confuse people with the conversions between oulandish available systems....

Soft Cocks.:p

"Potential"

Wasn't taught THAT at my Wellington primary school.. I feel cheated.
Can you read a Clock?o_O

"Potential"
Yeah Talk it up. pun....

Can you read a Clock?o_O
Barely. I struggle on though. Things must get easier in the long run, they must!

Barely. I struggle on though. Things must get easier in the long run, they must!
I think they Digitise(Is it a word............) things these days.

Yeah Talk it up. pun....
As one of my favorite phrases go: Get it out, get it up, get it on!

I answered metric, but because I live in the U.S.A. I must occasionaly resort to imperial.

I think they Digitise(Is it a word............) things these days.
Excellent. The future is looking good

Excellent. The future is looking good
Thats what they want you to think.

Thats what they want you to think.
And they would be who? The primary school teachers of the metric system? Fuck. They're everywhere!

Two thumbs up for wits.
There's no need to actually write if something is funny, its not right and its interpreted as "sucking up." Just a :D , :p , ;) , :) , or :cool: will do. Or a LOL, ROLF, ROLFMAO. Or some other, not so obvious way of saying something is funny.

There's also no reason to look like your "sucking up." Especially to me. Just thought I'd give my thoughts on the subject, I was honestly uncomfortable. Now, to psycology, to learn stuff!

No hard feelings! :fluffle:

Metric is best for most specific purposes, but when I'm guesstimating I use the Imperial measures because their so much better. I reckon that almost every metric measurement is either too short or too long.

In imperial you usually have 6-12, while in metric you suddenly have 15-30. :)WOOHOO...

I am 15!!! I pwn!! :D

And they would be who? The primary school teachers of the metric system? Fuck. They're everywhere!
Well at least your spelling is O.K. .

WOOHOO...

I am 15!!! I pwn!! :D
If you man Inches i am more than disturbed however if you mean Centremeters i am just laughing.

Unless you are talking about your age.

It doesn't matter what system you use, they all measure the same things. The calculations are just harder with Imperial, which is perhaps a good thing. With all these damned Metric calculations, all kids can do today is multiply by powers of ten, which a well-trained monkey with a pencil between his teeth could probabably do.

Especialy with calculators, nowadays twelve times seventeen isn't a problem (you can do that in your head... 204). And it just makes people better at mental arithmetic.

[Off topic... but did you know the meter was origionaly defined as one millionth of the distance between the north pole and the centre of Paris?]

...I'd bet nobody over here even knows what a stone is. :p

Sure I do. *chucks one at Delator*

Metric please.

I wish America used the metric system, just because it makes so much more sense.

Which system of measurement do you use? Which do you prefer? And what do you have to say about those who use the other one? :D
I use imperial, I prefer imperial, and I have to say that those who use metric are a whole lot smarter than I, because I don't use metric.

Which system of measurement do you use? Which do you prefer? And what do you have to say about those who use the other one? :D
Metric is just a crutch for people that need to count on their fingers and thumbs. Real men use slugs, feet, and seconds. Thank God the metricists haven't screwed up time, yet.

You forgot toes, you can count on toes, too!

I am unashamedly metric,

I still hate the fact you get farenheit on the weather or cooking instructions and what is wrong with measuing distances in mm m km Mm (use engineering units only not those stupid deci cent deca hect etc Shudder)

now to the biggest prob pints 8 pints to a gallon fine now is that 454 ml or 568 ml, depending on US or Imperial

Nm^2 or Pascal as opposed to psi (meh) what the hell is a foot pound (I know the principle before anyone lectures me it is the same as any moment calc) what is a slug how big is a ton tonne long ton short ton which is heavier a pound of feathers or a pound of gold and which has the most answers.

Imperial should have gone te way of L.s.d (pounds Shilling and dinar (pence)) and died a very natural death, why not measure in cubits or hides

however there are 2 Non SI unit I will always use and those are sheds and Elvises.

To all of those who say they know and use Imperial units: How many poles are in a chain?

It doesn't matter what system you use, they all measure the same things. The calculations are just harder with Imperial, which is perhaps a good thing. With all these damned Metric calculations, all kids can do today is multiply by powers of ten, which a well-trained monkey with a pencil between his teeth could probabably do.

Especialy with calculators, nowadays twelve times seventeen isn't a problem (you can do that in your head... 204). And it just makes people better at mental arithmetic.

This seems to say that we should use Imperial because it is more difficult and you are more likely to make mistakes compared to the ease of using metric...

Anyway.

Metric.

It is a consistant and easy to use system. The units are easy to manage. It is less prone to error when breaking down into smaller units. There are no fractions on measurements (5/8" for example). There is no requirement to know how many inches in a foot, which is unrelated to the number of feet in a yard which is unrelated to how many yards in a mile. the number of ounces in a pound is different to the number of pounds in a stone. It is just a very unweildy mess - particulary of you want to go from a measurement in pounds/ft to ounces/inch for example. Also there is no indication of how many somethings make something else.

Metric on the other hand uses an easy to calculate system with consistant multiples within measurement types, and the unit names even tell you how many of that unit are in the next one.

milli = 1000th (eg, 1millimetre is 1/1000 of a metre)
centi = 100th (1 centimetre is 1/100 of a metre)
deci = 10th (i think we can see where this is going)
kilo = *1000 (1 kilometre = 1000 metres)
mega = *1000000

Further to this the entire system is interrelated between weights and measures, via the density properties of water, (1 centimetre cubed of water = 1 gram) and also the thermal propertes of water.

To all of those who say they know and use Imperial units: How many poles are in a chain?
We call them rods, but ther are 4 poles in a chain. Everyone with a HP-48 calculator knows that.

This seems to say that .......[etc. etc: I read it but I don't want to waste to much space].....of water, (1 centimetre cubed of water = 1 gram) and also the thermal propertes of water.

First off: fractions are better than decimals. A zillion times more accurate, and easy to do in your head. I'll prove it with a simple sum:


118/7 x 2 16.857142857142857142857142857142857...

236/7. 33.714 (etc etc... long division is boring)

That took two seconds. Thirty, and niether figure is very accurate.

So, 5/8 is better than 0.625.

Metric is deceptivley easy. With an imperial calculation, you really set your mind to it (well, I do) and work it through carefully. With metric, you just look and say"oh, that's about ten places this way" or whatever. Besides, with a bit of care, an idea of what the answer should be and some decent checking, you can eliminate mistakes totaly. It might take longer, but my grandad can take any two numbers and multiply them together in his head instantaniously, whereas my dad can barely do fifteen squared (225, by the way)

*head explodes*

*head explodes*

How terribly inconvenient.

If that makes your head explode, listen to Tom Leher's song "New Math". Simple, but just... fast, man!

How terribly inconvenient.

If that makes your head explode, listen to Tom Leher's song "New Math". Simple, but just... fast, man!

I seem to have...lost my head?

*rest of body explodes*

I seem to have...lost my head?
*rest of body explodes*

Lost your head? Oh, don't worry, I'm sure it'll turn up.

Lost your head? Oh, don't worry, I'm sure it'll turn up.

I didn't lose it, it exploded, REMEMBER?

First off: fractions are better than decimals. A zillion times more accurate, and easy to do in your head. I'll prove it with a simple sum:

Snipped for brevity

It might take longer, but my grandad can take any two numbers and multiply them together in his head instantaniously, whereas my dad can barely do fifteen squared (225, by the way)


What has the metric system got to do with Decimal and Vulgar fractions, besides Decimals also are in base 10,
I work in SI units and still do use Vulgar fractions where approriate (in most cases it is necessary) I think it is terrible that a lot of children now cannot do Vulgar Fractions or even long division,

Decimal fractions are an approximation for a lot of fractions (not even going to bother with all tat 0.999r = 1 crap) and unless you are really anal and need to use pi more accurate than 3.14159265358979 which will give you a reasonable representation figure for the length of earths orbit in either mm Thous'inch feet Miles (both Statute and Nautical) or even Elvises (515879120879 or 515G879 Elvis or .515 TeraElvises)

Metric is a measurment system or inter related values and derivitves, arrived at from physical constants, not a Numeric system (I'm going to regret using te word constant I feel an ID-er going to tell e that it is based on science and therefore is a lie and should not be taught *sigh) The atto femto pico nano micro milli kilo mega giga tera peta exo prefixes are just engineering units based on a 10^3 divisions.

Metric is related to decimalisation (the two are best used together) and imperial to fractions. It's quicker if you use the derived system for the respective metric/imperial.

Metric is related to decimalisation (the two are best used together) and imperial to fractions. It's quicker if you use the derived system for the respective metric/imperial.

I agree it is Quicker, It's that you originally sounded like you are against te metric system as it would dispose of perfect (Vulgar) fractions rather than horrid nasty yucky non conformist units. (And I know as a Brit we have a lot to answer for in setting up these horrible units in the first place)

First off: fractions are better than decimals. A zillion times more accurate, and easy to do in your head. I'll prove it with a simple sum:


118/7 x 2 16.857142857142857142857142857142857...

236/7. 33.714 (etc etc... long division is boring)

That took two seconds. Thirty, and niether figure is very accurate.

So, 5/8 is better than 0.625.

Metric is deceptivley easy. With an imperial calculation, you really set your mind to it (well, I do) and work it through carefully. With metric, you just look and say"oh, that's about ten places this way" or whatever. Besides, with a bit of care, an idea of what the answer should be and some decent checking, you can eliminate mistakes totaly. It might take longer, but my grandad can take any two numbers and multiply them together in his head instantaniously, whereas my dad can barely do fifteen squared (225, by the way)

Well...

Fractions are great provided that whatever you are measuring is easily represented as a fraction of integers, and that you can quickly identify it. Given that what you are measuring is unlikely to be an nice easy fraction this makes things a bit trickey sometimes, and likely will require cross units of both feet and inches and fractions of inches in a measurement, which is not easy to multiply out.

say you measure something as 0.1456 Feet there is a trickey conversion to inches. Or you have to devide a length that is 132 foot and 2 and3/8 inches long into 5 equal portions. Or a 2 pound 3 and 5/42 ounce weight between 8 people.

Say you measure something as 0.3256 Metres, thats 325.6mm straight off. No trickey calculation and really very few oppertunities for error. While Imperial requires careful checking to eliminate errors, Metric removes many of them by making the calculation much easier. Further to that if you have half a brain metric has a fairly good built in error-detection when you convert units as if you make a mistae the answer will be at least 10 times bigger or smaller than you expected and hence should be easy to spot.

One place the imperial system has an edge on the metric system is in the measurements of small lengths. A person can discriminate between the divisions on a scale that is ruled in 1/100 in divisions. There isn't a metric equivalent to that measurement. Well there is, but I don't know of any scales that are ruled in 0.254 mm increments.

Use a 10 micron micrometer (yes you could get same accucies from the samne instrumet if measured Venier in 10^-5 of an inch, then or if we are getting really small laser interferometer. (I know you could use the Agstrom for that as opposed to the SI but Agstrom was a metric unit I believe)

I don't know about you but I don't hink I could resolve a ruler marked in Thous' or .1mm it is not the fact that these unts exist, it is the way they are used or even still taught, apart from an early introduction into algebra and formula conversions, Imperial units should be labelled into a book titled How to talk to your Grandparents. (I'm 33 btw and my Parents Aunts Uncles and Grandparents all use te metric system (Grandad slips occaisionally though)

Yay! Here comes the Metric system.

Technically us Brits are both. All our schoolbooks are in Metric, bar my A-Level ones imported from the US (kinda odd...), and all our measurements.

So why is everything else imperial? It's maddening...

One place the imperial system has an edge on the metric system is in the measurements of small lengths. A person can discriminate between the divisions on a scale that is ruled in 1/100 in divisions. There isn't a metric equivalent to that measurement. Well there is, but I don't know of any scales that are ruled in 0.254 mm increments.
Baloney!

Since when is visual aquity measured in linear units?

The human eye can distinguish two objects separated by about half an arc minute (less than that under ideal light conditions and maximum contrast). If my trig is still good, that would mean that at a distance of 30cm, you can see details around 0.05 mm in width. If you don't believe me, take a hair, which is about 0.07mm in diameter and put it at a distance of about 30cm. Can you see it? I know I can.

So, even a ruler graduated in .1mm would be usable and more accurate than one graduated in .01in.

Not that you wouldn't be using verniers if you need such detail, but still.

Metric is just a crutch for people that need to count on their fingers and thumbs. Real men use slugs, feet, and seconds. Thank God the metricists haven't screwed up time, yet.
Sweden used to have the metric system as well. One inch was as long as the top of your thumb, one foot was as long as your foot, one yard was a large step... Problem was, it made it kinda impossible to determine stuff. 1,000 yards for some might be 1,300 for some, and vice versa. Then we started to use the metric system, but people still had the same way of measuring, they just renamed it. In one town in southern Sweden, one yard was about 75 cm (er...3 1/4 foot I think) while in a town in mid-Sweden, it was TWO AND A HALF METERS ('bout 6'6"). It did not work well.

This is according to the radio, I don't look these things up... http://www.rpgforums.net/images/smilies/innocent.gif

I use Imperial because I'm American and that's what we're taught to use. HOWEVER, I would prefer using the metric system. I've been using the metric system for some of the measurements of "weapons designs" I've come up with for NS RP, but sometimes, I just find myself going back to Imperial for certain things.

...I'd bet nobody over here even knows what a stone is. :p

A stone = 14 pounds, doesn't it?

(No, I didn't look it up.)

First off: fractions are better than decimals. A zillion times more accurate, and easy to do in your head. I'll prove it with a simple sum:


118/7 x 2 16.857142857142857142857142857142857...

236/7. 33.714 (etc etc... long division is boring)

That took two seconds. Thirty, and niether figure is very accurate.

So, 5/8 is better than 0.625.

Metric is deceptivley easy. With an imperial calculation, you really set your mind to it (well, I do) and work it through carefully. With metric, you just look and say"oh, that's about ten places this way" or whatever. Besides, with a bit of care, an idea of what the answer should be and some decent checking, you can eliminate mistakes totaly. It might take longer, but my grandad can take any two numbers and multiply them together in his head instantaniously, whereas my dad can barely do fifteen squared (225, by the way)

The issue isn't decimals versus fractions. "0.625" wouldn't be needed -- you'd say 625 milli-whatevers, and no fractions need be used. As far as your lineage being able to do sums in their heads, goody for them -- besides, I'll wager that the lobe that your forebears use for multiplication tables took up the space the rest of would have used for the judgement needed to avoid procreating with your female ancestors.

(I know that's mean, but it was so wide open -- I apologize.)

I use metric though I don't really understand kilometres per hour. I tend to convert m/ph into metres per second and then work out how fast i'm going in %c.:headbang: what the hell is wrong with me?

All I knows is my car gets four inches to the hogs head, and thats the way I likes it!

[We're never going to resolve this deadlock any time soon, so I'll just make fun of the one I support.]

All I knows is my car gets four inches to the hogs head, and thats the way I likes it!

[We're never going to resolve this deadlock any time soon, so I'll just make fun of the one I support.]

Sounds like my ex wife, but she used to get 232 mm if I had had a hogshead