Dear Bill, Terry, and All,

I suspect that the 'typographical quotes' occur when I import material from
Microsoft Word. Unfortunately this is an intermittent behaviour. Let me
explain:

Whenever I upgrade Microsoft Office, I have to then go through a step by
step procedure to alter the defaults away from Microsoft's prejudgements
about the setting I will use.

1   I have to alter page layout to A4.
2   I have to alter all tab spacings.
3   I have to alter all margins on all types of documents.
5   I have to alter time and date settings to international formats, and,
6   I have to alter the settings that cause the  'typographical quotes'.

And sometimes, I forget.

I have now reset MS Word settings � again � and here are some test items.

Imported from Microsoft Word
'This is "test" to see how this works'.

Typed directly into this posting
'This is a "test" to see how this works'.

I would appreciate your response.

Cheers,

Pat Naughtin
Geelong, Australia
-- 

on 2004-07-13 11.00, Bill Potts at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

> Pat:
> 
> Could  you please stop using typographical quotes. Your opening quotes are
> coming out as an OE diphthong and your closing quotes are coming out as a
> superscripted 1.
> 
> If you're using MS Word to create your message, you should note that you can
> turn off the feature that turns plain quotes into typographical quotes.
> 
> I wonder if others are experiencing the same problem with Pat's messages.
> (I'm using Outlook 2000.) Note that I use the same encoding Pat does
> (Western European ISO -- ISO-8859-1) -- although incoming messages default
> to whatever code the sender is using, anyway.
> 
> Bill Potts, CMS
> Roseville, CA
> http://metric1.org [SI Navigator]
> 
> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> Behalf Of Pat Naughtin
>> Sent: Monday, July 12, 2004 16:49
>> To: U.S. Metric Association
>> Subject: [USMA:30394] New UKMA initiative Clauses 6.18 to 6.20
>> 
>> 
>> Dear Chris,
>> 
>> In the light of your remarks on pages 39 and 40 (Clauses 6.18 to 6.20) of
>> your report, 'A very British mess', you might find these observations
>> interesting.
>> 
>> Cheers,
>> 
>> Pat Naughtin
>> Geelong, Australia
>> 
>> 
>> In Australia, the building industry chose millimetres as their small unit.
>> The actual statement in the pamphlet, �Metric Information � for
>> Building and
>> Construction Workers� (October 1973), said:
>> 
>> �(1)    Distances for transport will be measured in kilometres (km)
>>            1�km = 1�000 m = about 5/8 mile
>> 
>> �(2)    The centimetre will be used in the clothing industry. It is only 10
>> times 1�mm and to avoid confusion it will not be used in building.
>> 
>> �N.B.   DON�T use a tape or rule marked in both millimetres and feet and
>> inches and never use one marked in centimetres�.
>> 
>> 
>> The words, 'will not be used in building', were printed in bold letters in
>> the original document.
>> 
>> With this one decision, the Metric Conversion Board removed the
>> need for all
>> vulgar fractions (and all calculations involving vulgar fractions) and all
>> decimal fractions (and all calculations involving decimal fractions) on any
>> building site. I believe that this single decision was largely instrumental
>> in allowing the Australian building industry to make a smooth and
>> relatively
>> rapid transition to metrication. In my own personal experience, for most
>> builders metrication was largely completed by 1976.
>> 
>> In the book, �Metrication in Australia�, Kevin Wilks says that (by 1982):
>> 
>> �Building regulations in all States had been metric for many years. All
>> plans and specifications, development applications, building materials and
>> promotional literature for project homes were metric, although a
>> few project
>> builders, selling principally to retired people, saw some advantage in
>> giving imperial equivalents�.
>> 
>> In comparison, the clothing industry, which chose to use centimetres, is
>> still struggling with their metrication transition, even after more than 30
>> years.
>> 
>> I have worked extensively in both the Australian building and textile
>> industries and I have personally seen the dramatic differences between the
>> two metric conversion processes.
>> 
>> My conclusion is that the use of millimetres leads to a more rapid and
>> smooth conversion than does the use of centimetres.
>> 
>> **
>> 
>> Occupations and millimetres
>> 
>> In a recent study that I did on occupations in Australia, I noted that for
>> most job descriptions, millimetres were used as the basic small measure.
>> Here is my analysis of a list of occupations that I obtained from the
>> Australian Bureau of Statistics:
>> 
>> 90 occupations � millimetre users
>> Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Avionics), Aircraft Maintenance Engineer
>> (Mechanical), Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Structures), Automotive
>> Electrician, Binder and Finisher, Blacksmith, Boat Builder and Repairer,
>> Bricklayer, Broadcast Transmitter Operator, Business Machine Mechanic,
>> Cabinetmaker, Cable Jointer, Carpenter, Carpenter and Joiner,
>> Communications
>> Linesperson, Computing Support Technician, Dental Technician, Drainer,
>> Electrical Engineering Technician, Electrical Powerline Tradesperson,
>> Electrician (Special Class), Electronic Engineering Technician, Electronic
>> Equipment Tradesperson, Electronic Instrument Tradesperson (Special Class),
>> Electroplater, Engraver, Farrier, Fibrous Plasterer, Fitter, Flat Glass
>> Tradesperson, Floor Finisher, Furniture Finisher, Furniture Upholsterer,
>> Gasfitter, Gem Cuter and Polisher, General Communications Tradesperson,
>> General Electrician, General Electronic Instrument Tradesperson, General
>> Fabrication Engineering Tradesperson, General Mechanical Engineering
>> Tradesperson, General Plumber, Glass Blower, Graphic Pre-Press
>> Tradesperson,
>> Greenkeeper, Gunsmith, Jeweller, Joiner, Leather Goods Maker, Lift
>> Mechanic,
>> Locksmith, Mechanical Engineering Technician, Mechanical Services and
>> Airconditioning Plumber, Medical Grade Shoemaker, Metal Casting
>> Tradesperson, Metal Fabricator (Boilermaker), Metal Machinist
>> (First Class),
>> Metal Polisher, Motor Mechanic, Optical Mechanic, Painter and Decorator,
>> Panel Beater, Patternmaker-Grader (Clothing), Piano maker, Piano Tune,
>> Precision Instrument Maker and Repairer, Pressure Welder, Printing
>> Machinist, Refrigeration and Airconditioning Mechanic, Roof Plumber, Roof
>> Slater and Tiler, Saw Maker and Repairer, Screen Printer, Small Offset
>> Printer, Sheetmetal Worker (First Class), Shipwright, Shoemaker,
>> Signwriter,
>> Small Offset Printer, Solid Plasterer, Stonemason, Textile, Clothing or
>> Footwear Mechanic, Toolmaker, Upholsterers and Bedding Tradespersons,
>> Vehicle Body Maker, Vehicle Painter, Vehicle Trimmer, Wall and Floor Tiler,
>> Watch and Clock Maker and Repairer, Welder (First Class), Wood
>> Tradesperson,
>> and Wood Turner.
>> 
>> 10 occupations � centimetre and inches users
>> Apparel Cutter, Baker, Chef, Chef � Head Chef, Cook, Dressmaker, General
>> Clothing Tradesperson, Pastry Cook, Picture Framer, and Tailor.
>> 
>> 7 occupations � centimetre, feet and inches users
>> Canvas Goods Maker, General Gardener, Head Gardener, Landscape Gardener,
>> Nurseryperson, Sail Maker, Tree Surgeon
>> 
>> 7 occupations where length measures are relatively unimportant
>> Butcher, Buttermaker or Cheesemaker, Confectioner, Hairdresser, Smallgoods
>> Maker Supervisor, Hairdressers Supervisor, and Meat Tradespersons.
>> 
>> In summary
>> 
>> millimetres                             90 occupations = 78.9 %
>> centimetres and inches           10 occupations = 8.8 %
>> centimetres, feet, and inches   7 occupations = 6.1 %
>> Few length measures               7 occupations = 6.1 %
>> Total                                     114 occupations = 100 %
>> 
>> Cheers,
>> 
>> Pat Naughtin LCAMS
>> Geelong, Australia
>> 
>> Pat Naughtin is the editor of the free online newsletter, 'Metrication
>> matters'. You can subscribe by sending an email containing the words
>> subscribe Metrication matters to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> --
>> 
> 

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