Some people in this forum seem to be concerned about what to call the old
units, but the average person almost never reads anything that would contain
the words customary, legacy, wombat or whatever when referring to units of
measure. Those words generally only appear in stuff we read, not in the stuff
people who don't know and don't care read, so it matters little.
On the rare occasion the average American reads something about US units verses
SI units, the old units should be called US customary. Calling them legacy,
old or anything else might not make sense to some people and could be
confusing, which does not help our cause. Too many people already think
(believe) the metric system is confusing. Keep it as clear and simple as
possible.
Al Lawrence
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2014 11:48:02 -0800
From: pawil...@pacbell.net
Subject: [USMA:54466] Re: What to call non SI measures. Legacy Measures
To: usma@colostate.edu
Hi:
I am a USMA member and receive Metric Today every two months.
In the Nov - Dec Metric Today, on page 1 under NCWM Comments on FPLA
Regulations, it says:
The term "U.S. Customary" should be based in lieu of "inch-Pound" when
referencing traditional U.S. units for weight, volume, length, area, etc.
For me,
the problem with "U.S. Customary" is that it just says that these units are
normal and what we use. It doesn't denote anything about "U.S. Customary"
being obsolete or old or anything. That is why I believe we should refer to
all "U.S. Customary" measures instead as "Legacy measures".
If the public and especially government officials hear legacy miles, legacy
gallons, etc. things might change quickly.
....Parker Willey Jr.San Jose, CA
From: James <j...@metricmethods.com>
To: U.S. Metric Association <usma@colostate.edu>
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2014 10:51
AM
Subject: [USMA:54464] Re: What to call non SI measures. Legacy Measures
I've been a member of USMA and also this mail list for about 2 decades now. As
I recall, this topic has come up many, many times. It seems to be an old
favorite.It also seems apparent to me that nobody taking part in this thread
subscribes to the USMA's Metric Today, which is a pity. I base that on the lack
of mention here about Metric Today's quotation of the NCWM's recommended name
for the collection of non-SI measurement units used in the US. Not
surprisingly, that is also the term that NIST tends to use when referring to
those units.As a holiday present to yourselves, why don't you all join
USMA and thus subscribe to Metric Today? The cost is very small and it
supports a great organization -- the one that provides this forum, with
courteous free support by Colorado State University's web server.Jim-- James R.
Frysinger632 Stoney Point Mountain RoadDoyle TN 38559-3030(C) 931.212.0267(H)
931.657.3107(F) 931.657.3108On 2014-11-17 12:12, j...@frewston.plus.com wrote:>
We had this conversation once before a year or two ago. Going from> memory, I
believe the word ‘obsolete’ was felt to be sufficiently>
negative and descriptive without being too derogatory.> John F-L> *From:*
CARLETON <mailto:carlet...@comcast.net>> *Sent:* Monday, November 17, 2014 5:35
PM> *To:* U.S. Metric Association <mailto:usma@colostate.edu>> *Cc:* USMA
<mailto:usma@colostate.edu>> *Subject:* [USMA:54460] Re: What to call non SI
measures. Legacy Measures> Does the word "legacy" have sufficient negative
connotations, though?> Carleton>
------------------------------------------------------------------------>
*From: *"Howard R Ressel (DOT)" <howard.res...@dot.ny.gov>> *To: *"USMA"
<usma@colostate.edu>> *Sent: *Monday, November 17, 2014 8:22:01 AM> *Subject:
*[USMA:54459] Re: What to call non SI measures. Legacy Measures>> Hm I think
Paul T,. coined WOMBAT as Way of Measuring Badly in America> Today.>> Howard
Ressel>> Project Design Engineer>> NYSDOT>> 1530 Jefferson Road>> Rochester, NY
14623>> 585 272-3372>> 43,560 square feet in an acre> 5280 feet in a mile> 16
ounces in a pound> 128 ounces in a gallon>> 23 confused kids in a class>> What
could be simpler?>> *From:*owner-u...@colostate.edu
[mailto:owner-u...@colostate.edu] *On> Behalf Of *Michael Payne> *Sent:*
Sunday, November 16, 2014 7:59 AM> *To:* U.S. Metric Association> *Cc:* USMA>
*Subject:* [USMA:54457] Re: What to call non SI measures. Legacy
Measures>> Many of us have for years been calling them WOMBAT, Waste Of Money>
Brains And Time. But of course the general public is not going to> understand
this term. So Legacy sounds good.>> Mike Payne>> On 16 Nov 2014, at 09:47,
Parker Willey Jr. <pawil...@pacbell.net> <mailto:pawil...@pacbell.net>>
wrote:>> What to call non SI measures.>> In the United States, we
currently refer to non SI measures usually> as
"inch-pound" or "customary measurements". I think we should use> a
different term, "legacy" measures. Examples: legacy miles, legacy>
gallons, legacy inches, etc. Legacy measures would apply to all> non-SI
measures.>> If the general public hears older measures referred to as
Legacy> often, they would soon see them as old and want to go metric.>>
...Parker Willey Jr.>> San Jose, CA>> No virus found in this message.>
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com>
> Version: 2015.0.5577 / Virus Database: 4213/8585 - Release Date: 11/17/14>
