Dear Ron, In theory, what you proposed below is quite sound. However, the question is under what name should we create the "decimal second"?
Given the stance in this group concerning resistance to discuss this issue I'd hesitate to open a forum here to discuss suggestions for names to this new entity. Therefore, I've simply decided to "borrow" the usual names for lack of better ones. In my proposal of the percentime framework, for instance, I've decided to simply add what I believe to be an unequivocal term before these known units: percentime. But I'm all ears for suggestions... :-) It's just a pity that the term 'beat' has already been taken by the Swatch people. Hey, maybe I should settle for... say... tic! :-) Regards, Marcus On Mon, 27 Oct 2003 19:52:16 Ronald L. STONE wrote: >Those interested in matters of usage may find the following of interest: > >>One of the human factors involved in the use of scales of time >>concerns the terms or 'name-forms' used to reference particular >>scales of time. Alliance for the Advancement of Technology considers >>that the term for 'second' should be restricted to the use of the SI >>unit for time, and for coordination to a traditional scale of 86 400 >>seconds in a day. >> >>Those who are involved in efforts to represent time in terms of a >>coherent decimal proportion of one day should strongly consider >>reserving terms for 'second', 'minute', and 'hour' to the traditional >>scales of 60 seconds to the minute, 60 minutes to the hour, and 24 >>hours to the day. These terms are well-known by these particular >>scalar relationships and are widely used as such. >> >>As the meter is not a metric-yard, so should not a decimal sub-unit >>of a day such as 0.00001 of a main unit of one day be referenced as a >>metric-second. Efforts to reformulate scales of time in terms of >>values coherent to a main unit of one day should be represented in >>terms of their own independent units. >> >>There exist a number of reasons, some stronger than others, in >>support of the use of independent terms for a decimal scale of time. >>Moreover, there are no strong reasons to support the representation >>of a decimal scale of time in terms of the traditional 24-60-60 scale >>terms of 'second', 'minute', and 'hour'. >> >>Those who are involved in efforts to represent decimal scales of time >>should ensure that terms properly reserved for use in traditional >>scales not be used for emerging decimal scales. >> >>Any decimal clocks referencing terms properly reserved for >>traditional scales should be reconsidered to ensure conformance with >>established best practices. For additional information about >>standards for the representation of decimal scales of time please see >>AAT ICAS Itinica at >><http://www.aatideas.org/itinica/index.html>http://www.aatideas.org/itinica/index.html >> >>via >>Internet. >> >>-- >>Alliance for the Advancement of Technology (AAT) >> > >-- >Ron > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >********************************************************************** >this message does not necessarily reflect >the views of any organization I may be affiliated with, >and should be regarded as personal opinion. >********************************************************************** ____________________________________________________________ Get 25MB of email storage with Lycos Mail Plus! Sign up today -- http://www.mail.lycos.com/brandPage.shtml?pageId=plus
