2003-01-04
----- Original Message -----
From: "Han Maenen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, 2003-01-04 03:50
Subject: [USMA:24353] Zoillstock
> Most Zoll Stocke have only metric graduations. I have
a 'duimstok' (duim =
> Zoll = inch), also only with metric graduation. Of course, I do not buy
> measuring instrumetsn with wrong units on them. As long as there are no
> inches on an inch stick, I do not see how the use of that word can mean
> some hankering to old measurement times.
> Zoll = inch), also only with metric graduation. Of course, I do not buy
> measuring instrumetsn with wrong units on them. As long as there are no
> inches on an inch stick, I do not see how the use of that word can mean
> some hankering to old measurement times.
This is also true of pfund/pound. A person can walk
up to the deli counter of any shop that has one, and legally ask for a pound, a
cup, a feeblefester (made up unit), or anything they please. The shop,
however, can only sell them what they ask for by the gram. Thus, there has
to be an agreement between the customer and the attendant as to the meaning of
the unit asked for in grams.
It sure is not a way i would want to do business. It
is a sure fire way to be cheated.
>
> Today, Zoll does mean inch. The old Zolls (there have been many of them)
> have gone, now it can only mean the English variety of an outdated measuring
> unit.
But, the history is that the zoll and duim had many different
meanings. And, I'm sure one can still find in museums and private
collections old Zollst�cke and duimstock still calibrated in the original
meanings. Also, the Zoll (inch) is many times a common name for 25 mm and
a foot for 300 mm.
I'm sure the BWMA is somewhat grateful to metric for eliminating all of the
variations and leaving the British/American version the only survivor. Now
when the BWMA claims they can find inches in other countries, they can be
truthful when they say that they are all the same as the British ones.
But, I'm still not sure how the BWMA defines an inch. I'm sure they
don't recognise the 25.4 mm as official. Have they ever defined an
inch?
>
> Maybe the person who responded read some trash on the BWMA sites. There we
> can find the 8.89 cm nonsense as well.
The BWMA is tricky when they make statements about the use of FFU in metric
countries. They fail on purpose to mention that a pound is 500 g and no
pound scales exist. They fail to mention that products which bear an inch
name description; the description most often then not is not true to the actual
size. They fail to mention that in many cases, old FFU names have been
redefined to rational metric values. They don't mean the same thing as in
Britain or America.
If the BWMA was really honest they would inform their followers that a
floppy disk is really 90 mm (width) and just give the reason why it is called
3.5 inch. Instead they let people believe this is the real dimension and
if converted to millimetres come out a silly 8.89 cm.
>
>
> Han
> Historian of Dutch Metrication, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
>
John
