Terry,
Thanks for your detailed explanation, it's very helpful.
I would like to point out my goal of finding a domestic supplier of A3 paper.
As long as there is no internal demand for metric products, American
companies won't produce. I travel to Europe several times per year, and
could easily and cheaply fulfill all my needs for metric products by stocking
up during these trips. But what I really want to do is show U.S. companies
and stores that there IS demand for metric products here at home. If enough
Americans, at home and at work, demand metric-only products like paper &
office products, scales, rulers, thermometers, etc. then stores and
manufacturers will start offering these products. And if stores start
offering these products, then we will have made major progress toward
metrication.
John
On Sunday 31 August 2003 17:12, Terry Simpson wrote:
> John S. Ward wrote:
> >How common is metric paper usage (A4, A3, etc.) in recently
> >metricated countries?
>
> I am not entirely sure whether Britain would class as 'recently
> metricated'. But I will answer the questions from my experience living here
> in Britain.
>
> Britain only uses the A4, A3 series now. I remember the old British sizes
> ('quarto' and 'foolscap') being used back in the 1970's.
>
> My experience is that corporate photocopiers in Britain often have A4 in
> one tray and A3 in the other. This allows for exact enlargement or
> reduction of images A4<->A3 and there is usually an option specifically for
> that.
>
> It is still fairly common to find British office furniture (filing
> cabinets) and folders in the old 'foolscap' size. Foolscap is slightly
> larger than A4 so this is an example of backwards compatibility. However,
> if you buy new office furniture now, you will often be offered cabinets
> designed
> specifically for A4.
>
> >Where in the U.S. do you get affordable metric size paper, esp. A3?
> >(I'm paying about $100 / ream!)
>
> You have had some US based suggestions from others. Many non-US suppliers
> could beat $100 including shipping (it would be tax free).
> www.mr-office.com
>
> >Do engineers in recently metricated countries draw on metric sheet sizes,
> >or inches sizes?
>
> I am not an engineer, but I am sure that British engineers use A4, A3 etc.
> I would be very surprised if you found anything but A4, A3 etc in a British
> office (engineering or otherwise).
>
> >Do engineers in recently metricated countries use hard-metric parts,
> >or do they simply convert inch-pounds parts to metric numbers?
>
> That is a big question. I think the short answer is that British
> engineering is now metric by default. The vast majority of parts are also
> metric (hard or soft). In some particular domains, non-metric is still very
> visible.
>
> If you want to get a more precise answer, pick a part that interests you
> and look at British parts suppliers on the web, or ask here and we can
> discuss it.
