On Thu, 23 May 2002 23:18:12 -0400, James Frysinger <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
... > >Alas, the crate it was packed in is marked as having a volume of "907 cu dm". >Perhaps Chris, Louis, or Leonardo can comment on acceptable labels on packing >materials for goods imported into the EU. Why do they accept "cu dm" instead >of "dm3"? Will that change at the end of 2009, do you suppose? > >Jim Jim: There may be industry standards for labelling information. For example, I often see trucks carrying containers that are used for shipping. The information is always painted on the back to show "CU M", "CU FT", plus dimensions in both. The use of "cu dm" is, I suspect, for the same reason the UK press always writes "cu m" or "sq ft" - it's easier from a typesetting point of view! The UKMA has produced a style guide which is being distributed; one of the points made is the correct use of exponents, which the continental (and even Australasian) press seem to have no problems with. I doubt we'll see any change in 2009. It may be a gradual change, but it would be unenforceable, unless the US industry agreed to it as a standard. Chris -- UK Metric Association: http://www.metric.org.uk/
