Is there any interest in the creation of a metrication newsgroup? I am sure that you guys must have talked about the National Geographic before. Below is some correspondence with them about metrication. Note that it says that they did an experiment to use metric units 'in place of' imperial. It does not indicate whether they tried with dual units (as they do on the website and on their maps). It is hard to believe that anyone would argue against dual units.
Does anybody know when the NG experiment with metric 'in place of' imperial occured? Also, does anybody know if non-English editions of the NG use metric measures? If they translate to metric for French readers, then they should translate to metric for UK readers. Hopefully this would result in US articles being published in dual measures. The NG rep seems sympathetic and said the comments would be passed on. It is frustrating that a migration process that takes years is always being deferred by leading science and educational organisations. Terry >>I am based in the UK and receive the English >>language edition. Unfortunately you only use >>imperial units which I don't always understand. >> >>With one or two notable exceptions, the UK is >>fully metricated. Schools no longer teach the >>imperial system and have not done so for many >>years. Metric values would be helpful to your >>UK readers, particularly those under 40 years >>old. Young people regard the imperial system as >>out-dated and that may have an impact on your >>image and sales. School authorities may also >>prefer publications that use metric values. >> >>It is an additional problem for British readers >>that US and UK imperial definitions were different. >> >>For example the US gallon is 3.79 litre whereas >>the UK gallon was 4.55 litre. So even if the >>British reader of National Geographic finds an >>older person to help translate, they may use the >>old UK gallon conversion and get the wrong answer. >> >>Many of the values given in National Geographic >>articles are originated in metric units anyway. >>For example the Mars Sojourner was designed by >>NASA scientists to weigh 10kg and this was >>translated into US units as 23lb. It may be that >>many American scientific writers are quite familiar >>with the metric system and can provide the metric >>value as well as the US imperial value. Metric >>values in original English language text would also >>simplify translation into foreign languages. >> >>I could not see it metrication on your website as >>a FAQ, but I am sure that some other people would >>like to see metric values in the English edition. >> >>Would you at least consider putting metric values >>in parentheses? I am sure that this would make >>your product more marketable in British schools >> and possibly also in the US and Canadian >>scientific communities. > > >Thank you for contacting us concerning measurements >in the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC magazine. > >The metric matter has been the subject of long, >careful study by the National Geographic Society. >The vast majority of our members (around 90% of >members are in the U.S.) are still unused to >thinking in metric terms, and thus find them an >impediment to understanding and enjoying the >magazine. When we did experiment with using metric >in place of imperial measurements some years ago, >the resistance from our members was astonishing > >Nevertheless, as schools across the United States >graduate new generations of young people trained to >think in metric, the nation�s consciousness will >undoubtedly increase and so will the Geographic�s >use of metric measurements. We already include >them�along with imperial measurements�on all our >maps and in scientific articles where space permits. >We appreciate your comments. The thoughts and >opinions of our readers are important to us, and I >will see that yours are circulated among my >colleagues on the editorial staff. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Try FREE Yahoo! Mail - the world's greatest free email! http://mail.yahoo.com/
