Simple? in which sense? The British and the European do use the same Billion... - if I red it correctly - even if the UK does feel sometimes not as Europe (driving still on the wrong side ;-) )
(I still hope that our government did apply the US-Billion when they published the government financial deficit...!) There does exist eg. the beer volume standardization problem on the Bavarian 'Oktoberfest' in Muenchen, they use a special 'Wiesn-Mass' volume, less content allowed, well compensated by a higher price... ;-) (I beg pardon at my bavarian friends for this indiscretion!) Something bad on trying to find a common international language (standardization) for better understanding in science and technique? have a nice day, Arnold On Mon, 12 Oct 2009 06:56:52 -0700 (PDT), J. Forster wrote: >The solution is simple: >In the BBC TV series "Yes, Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister" there was a >similar controversy about EU specifications on sausages. The brilliant >solution, which let to the advancement from Minister to Prime Minister was >to define TWO sausages... the EU Sausage and the British Sausage. >Following this paradeim, you could easily have a Billion and a British >Billion. >-John >=============== >> On Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:25:48 +0200, AL1 wrote: >> >>>HI all timenuts lovers, >> >>>i think it is not a question in our hobby : we have to use the >>> international unities system (SI) as result fron the international >>> conventions. >>>I warm recommand to read that: >>>http://www.bipm.org/utils/common/pdf/si_brochure_8_en.pdf >> >>>it is on the site of Bureau International des poids et mesures (BIPM), >>> and is of first interest. >>>Naturally in our life we can do as we think (...!?), but in any >>> scientific domain it is no question of approximative! >>>remember the lost of Mars orbiter due at the misusing of unities! >> >>>Meilleures salutations à tous >>>Alain Bouchet >>>ingénieur en métrologie >> >> >> Merci beaucoup Alain, >> >> I didn't have this document in hand, but I tried always to follow the >> known >> standards thus avoiding possible misinterpretations. My concern here was >> specially the problem with the different understandings of 'billion' and >> 'trillion', >> therfore addressing my question to Mark as originator of the very helpful >> program >> 'Lady Heather'. >> >> I see now that this was tackled already internationally by the BIPM >> Standardization Organisation. >> >> Magnus, I do underline everything you said, as well the statement >> "This can only be solved by means of education and correction." >> But that the 'µ' sign (and other greek characters used and wrtten in books >> for math. and physical faculties sind centuries) could not yet find the >> way into >> modern computers is not at all understandable nor acceptable. >> >> Concerning the 'ppm'- problem I quote from am. document: >> >> "The term ppm , meaning 10^-6 relative value, or 1 in 10^6, or parts per >> million, is >> also used. This is analogous to the meaning of percent as parts per >> hundred. The >> terms parts per billion , and parts per trillion , and their respective >> abbreviations ppb , >> and ppt , are also used, but their meanings are language dependent. For >> this reason >> the terms ppb and ppt are best avoided. (In English-speaking countries, a >> billion is >> now generally taken to be 109 and a trillion to be 1012; however, a >> billion may still >> sometimes be interpreted as 1012 and a trillion as 1018. The abbreviation >> ppt is also >> sometimes read as parts per thousand, adding further confusion.) >> >> When any of the terms %, ppm, etc., are used it is important to state the >> dimensionless quantity whose value is being specified." >> >> Sounds understandable, so there is nothing to be added from my side. >> Hopefully we do in future not experience more of such 'Mars Orbiter >> disasters', >> this was not the only one, it is just the peak of a big pyramide of >> comparable >> 'accidents'. >> >> many thanks as well to the other commentators >> >> Arnold >> _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- [email protected] To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
