2001-06-30 But, isn't (wasn't) the British point not on the line as the American point is now, but at the vertical centre of the number? Something like: 3.14159? I think the hand-held calculator (not the PC) are all made with points, not commas. Even in countries that use commas. This coupled with the wide use of English world-wide might through a process of evolution cause the comma to be displaced by the point. John Keiner ist hoffnungsloser versklavt als derjenige, der irrtümlich glaubt frei zu sein. There are none more hopelessly enslaved then those who falsely believe they are free! Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joseph B. Reid" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, 2001-06-29 21:51 Subject: [USMA:14106] Decimal point or decimal comma? Decimal notation was proposed by Juan of Seville in the 12th century. He would have written pi as 3-1416/10000 (I can't format this in Eudora). In 1585 the Dutchman, Simon Stevin proposed 3(0)1(1)4(2)1(3)6(4). This was simplified by Frençois Viète of France to 3|1416, which in continental European languages became 3,1416 (the comma is virgule in French, Komma in German, coma in Spanish, komma in Dutch and Swedish, còmma in Italian). Albert Mettler's metric survey of 1975 found that 24 counteries of continental Europe use the comma as decimal marker. In Britain John Napier of Edinburgh in 1617 decided to use the point or period as his decimal marker, and it has spread throughout the English-speaking world, as well as in several Asian countries. Joseph B. Reid 17 Glebe Road West Toronto M5P 1C8 Tel. 416 486-6071
