[aprssig] Re: Metric vs. English systems

[Ray Wells]

Mark Fellhauer wrote:

> At 05:07 PM 9/4/2007, Keith VE7GDH wrote:
>
>> Good article there! I'm all for standardization - including in APRS. 
>> Many in the US would be happy if "the rest of the world" bought into 
>> the "new" path settings currently being recommended in North America. 
>> Perhaps at least amateurs in the US will realize the beauty of 
>> simplicity and opt to start using metric units for APRS as well. It's 
>> just a matter of time before they realize the economic benefits of 
>> converting. As everywhere else, there will be some "growing pains" in 
>> the switch, but there's a huge economic advantage in not having to 
>> tool everything using two different standards. If they want to 
>> continue trading with the rest of the world, they will eventually 
>> change over. It might even happen in my lifetime - hi!
>
>
>
> I'm not so sure I understand these snide comments.    Or the comments 
> at all.   What economic advantage?  Tool to two different standards?  
> And if you think the rest of the world has standardized, try using a 
> European-made Phillips-head screwdriver on the Phillips-head fastener 
> of a Japanese made photo processing machine.  Can you say JIS?
>
> U.S. industry competes in a world market and some people seem to think 
> we're still in the horse and buggy age.  The last American car I owned 
> made in the mid 1980's had a 2.2 liter engine with metric fasteners - 
> a Chrysler made in East St. Louis, Missouri.    How could this be?  Us 
> backward 'mericans in the sticks of Missouri taint never heard of no 
> metric system before...
>
> The wonderful company Airbus seems to have a problem getting their 
> wiring harnesses to match up on the A380.  It seems the French and the 
> Germans can't measure correctly despite both using that superior 
> metric system.
>
> And when will they get around to standardizing angular measurement?   
> Hmmm...  400 units to a circle?   That kinda breaks the old 
> 10/100/1000 standard, now doesn't it?
> Europeans and Canadians can't handle the math of using mils, so we 
> can't use that.   They've addled their brains on decimalization.
>
> 4000 years ago the Greeks and Babylonians could think in Base 60.     
> That would probably make the brain of a "modern" Frenchman in the BIPM 
> explode.   At least in the United States we don't let the government 
> dictate every aspect of our lives.  So what if my granny in Florida 
> wants to bake cookies using cups of flour and teaspoons of salt?  So 
> what if the British want to heft a pint at the pub?   I really don't 
> see the benefit of some bureaucrat in Brussels telling me I have to 
> buy my gasoline in liters or my gandma has to buy butter in 250 ml 
> sticks.   Get off the U.S. bashing.  It has nothing to do with APRS.
>
> Mark
> KC7BXS
>
> My car gets 564500 Rods to the Hogshead, and that's the way I like it.
>
564500 Rods, that's a lot of pistons!

We run foul of two types of "Philips" head screwdrivers here. One is 
Philips head and the other is Posidrive. They have a different angle of 
the tip. Simple, carry two screwdrivers, well 6 or 8 or more if you 
cater for every size of Philips/Posidrive. Then there's the screws in 
our Australian made power outlets that resemble Philips/Posidrive but 
aren't either. Even the Australian made electrician's screwdriver 
doesn't fit them properly. Just as well they'll also take a flat blade!

The simplest rule when faced with metric or imperial is to use what YOU 
are comfortable with, and if that means mixing units, so be it. Both 
systems have their advantages and disadvantages although since the 
metrication of building materials and such, most trades people tend 
towards metric. Shame really, it was quite interesting to hear a 
builder, upon measuring something, say three feet nine and seven eights 
inches, plus a bit!


Ray vk2tv