On Wed, 3 Jul 2002 20:34:08 Joseph B. Reid wrote: >Ma Be wrote extensively on this subject in USMA 20796 in reply to Pat >Naughtin's USMA 20789. > > 300 = 33.33.. gon = 0.3333.. quad = 0.08333.. circle > 600 66.66.. gon = 0.6666.. quad = 0.16666.. circle > >The minute and second of arc could well be abolished because they serve no >useful purpose. > True. Agreed.
>Clocks displaying decimal time with a 10 hour day were constructed in >France in 1793, but decimal time was abandoned in 1795. Reviving it now >would require the majority of metric units to be redefined due to the >replacemewnt of the second. >That is a major change. The CGPM doesn't dare even to rename the kilogram, >so I can't imagine that it would give the slightest consideration to a >proposal to replace the second with a quite different unit. > Unfortunately, so it seems. Pity that we have to combat "enemies within" our own ranks when it comes to continuing progress of the SI system. Without wanting to be "an ultimate Judge" on this, I still think that it's just plain wrong to avoid "facing the music" just because of the potential huge implications that further changes could bring to the picture. If, fundamentally, there IS something wrong with the current time framework then change we MUST. BTW, I'm seriously considering contacting a major watch manufacturer and request that they build a custom-ordered watch for me. I'll ask that they build a digital model for me with 100 hours of 1000 new seconds of 0.864 of the current one. Perhaps the Swatch company may be willing to do this since they've been heavily involved with innovative ideas like the beat thing... >With decimal time the working day would be divided into 3 shifts of 3,33.. >hours each. >... One of the difficulties of decimalization of time is indeed evidently things like the above. However, who said that such shifts would *have to* be equal?... Since working at night is usually more stressful it may stand to reason that we divide it like 34, 34, 32, for instance (with 4 hours for "lunch")... Marcus Is your boss reading your email? ....Probably Keep your messages private by using Lycos Mail. Sign up today at http://mail.lycos.com
