One thing the communists did well, was going metric very soon after they
came to power in 1917. The Russians do not use the verst any more, they use
the *kilometr*. I hope that they will stand fast in their airspace until
Europe joins them in this.
Their computer industry uses modules of 25 mm exactly, while ours still used
the inch. Some ifp people called the 25 mm module the 'metric inch'.
I think that Russia's metrication under the Bolsheviks was one of the
reasons why metric is sometimes called a communist plot. The old Russian
system was built on the British foot and inch and the verst was a multiple
of English feet.
The 'djujm' was exactly an inch, they imported the Dutch word 'duim' and the
English unit under Peter the Great.
Yesterday I read in a newspaper that Russia wants to build a Mir-2. This
will surely happen when their economy grows. Potentially Russia is very
rich. I hope that Europe will get involved in this if and when it
materializes.
Han
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pat Naughtin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Friday, 20001 March 30, 03:33
Subject: [USMA:11939] Re: NASA's units
Dear Karl, and All
Sitting in Australia we perceive that from time to time a space station has
the potential to drop on our heads.
The score so far is one hit (Skylab) and one miss (Mir).
On the available evidence it would seem that versts (km) are better than
miles (international, statute, survey, or nautical?) from an Australian
point of view.
However, from a Northern Hemisphere viewpoint I don't suppose it matters all
that much. Whether you use versts, miles, or even kilometres, the used space
stations still fall 'safely' in the Southern Hemisphere.
Cheers,
Pat Naughtin CAMS
Geelong, Australia
<snip>
