k0ua
Epic Contributor
A KILObyte is 1000 byte's and a MEGAbyte is 1000 KILObytes or 1 Million
Look me in the eye and tell me that is not metric.
What's in a "foot"? (Surveying)
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A KILObyte is 1000 byte's and a MEGAbyte is 1000 KILObytes or 1 Million
Look me in the eye and tell me that is not metric.
k0ua
Epic Contributor
Radio has always been metric. If I say "see you on 40 meters". Everyone knows what band to start looking for me on. Frequency and wave length all relate back to and conform to the speed of light. Which is 3x10-8 meters per second. From the very beginnings of radio and the very first references to wavelength it has alway been expressed in metric terms. Oh sure here in the USA we go to great lengths to make it complicated and have complicated formulas to fabricate our antenas in imperial units.
mapper
Veteran Member
The big error made in teaching the metric system in the USA was that they tried to teach it in the context of converting metric to english units and back again. This is rather difficult to do since there are so many rather random units of measure in the english system. The irony of this was that many of our fathers were in England during WW2 and came back with horror stories about English money which was as chaotic as the system of measures at that time. They couldn't understand why they didn't have a nice logical system like the US. The moral of my rant is that the metric system isn't hard at all, we use it every time we pay for something or make change. Just stop trying to convert back and forth!
goeduck
Super Member
Biggest thing I do not like is about the English system is the fractions. That said, metric lengths are still not easy to imagine for me.
k0ua
Epic Contributor
get a metric ruler. It becomes much easier to imagine when you can hold it in your hand.
And STOP converting. Never ever convert anything.
2LaneCruzer
Super Member
:thumbdown:
k0ua
Epic Contributor
I can see that I am about the only one in the room with my hand raised.
I guess why I am such a big proponent of the metric system is my scientific roots.
I guess why I am such a big proponent of the metric system is my scientific roots.
k0ua
Epic Contributor
And why?... Care to expound on your reasons?
CobyRupert
Super Member
The metric unit I have a tough time with is temperature. Especially hearing forecasts.
(IMHO) Metric Celsius units are too coarse, that is, when you hear the forecast as (say) temps will be 15-20 deg C one day, but maybe 20-25 deg C another day, to my Imperial mind it doesn't seem like that big of a change; but's it's a huge difference in whether you should put on shorts and t-shirt or need to wear pants, long sleeves and bring a sweatshirt.
I suppose with more use, I'd get familiar, and yes: 0 =freezing, 100 = boiling is more logical....but...
Anybody ever go to another country (say Canada) and try to figure out what your gas "mileage" is (BTW: what is the metric word for that? Meterage? ) or how much the gas "really costs"? Throw in currency exchange rates and that can hurt your brain.
@kOla: Some people (Conservatives) just don't like change. "Dang-gummit! That's the way it was and we liked it!"
(IMHO) Metric Celsius units are too coarse, that is, when you hear the forecast as (say) temps will be 15-20 deg C one day, but maybe 20-25 deg C another day, to my Imperial mind it doesn't seem like that big of a change; but's it's a huge difference in whether you should put on shorts and t-shirt or need to wear pants, long sleeves and bring a sweatshirt.
I suppose with more use, I'd get familiar, and yes: 0 =freezing, 100 = boiling is more logical....but...
Anybody ever go to another country (say Canada) and try to figure out what your gas "mileage" is (BTW: what is the metric word for that? Meterage? ) or how much the gas "really costs"? Throw in currency exchange rates and that can hurt your brain.
@kOla: Some people (Conservatives) just don't like change. "Dang-gummit! That's the way it was and we liked it!"
:thumbsup: I'm with you, but it would be so much easier if everyone was in. I also agree with those saying STOP converting! So much simpler to just call it as it is, rather than converting and juggling 2 systems.
Another thought... has anyone measured lumber sheet goods lately? Much of the plywood comes from outside the US, and it's not 3/4" or 1/2". It's either labeled in mm, or with some goofy fraction that can't be matched with any other lumber anyway.
