On Mon, 21 Jul 2003, Bruce Olson wrote: > I don't think that is quite right. My recollection is that > 39.37 inches was one meter until some time in the 1970s. > > I was one of many scientists at the US National Bureau of > Standards who was appalled, to say the least, when the US > government decided to abandon their highly publicized campaign to > convert to metric. Much had already been done, at no small > expense, and had to be abandoned for an expensive reconversion > back to 'English' units [e.g., all the new gasoline/petrol pumps that > delivered in liters had to be abandoned, and old (US) gallon pumps > reinstalled]. > > Bruce Olson
This was in the 70s? Never heard of it. I learned both systems in school... it's not a problem. Metric is actually pretty convenient for mechanical things, but the English base-12 and base-16 systems have their advantages... they're also a little redundant, which helps when you're trying to read 150-year old maps or 10th-generation faxes. Makes for some confusion though, like when I asked for a 1/2 peso of ham in a Costa Rican grocery store.. "kilos! kilos!" :) I guess you'd really get some funny looks in a country with a worthless currency called the Peso :) To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
