>I love this "baddyizing" of imperial units (FFU, "Colonial". smelly(?))
I agree that terms like FFU are purely derogatory. "Colonial" on the other
hand ("British Colonial" to give it its full name) has some historic accuracy.
It is incorrect to call the system of measurement in use in the US "Imperial".
The Imperial system was introduced as a reform sometime after 1776 (I'm
sure somebody can give the exact year). Since this was after American
Independence, these reforms were not adopted by the US, who to this day
keep to the earlier definition of the pint, for example, which is why
US and Imperial gallons are different.
The term "British Colonial" counters the (incorrect) notion that the
current system in use in the US is an American one, as opposed to a foreign
one, and that it dates from its imposition when the US was a British
colony.
>And you will also see products labelled in imperial.
I think we are now vigorously agreeing. The UK has a mixture of
Imperial and metric uses. We disagree on whether this is desirable, and
on which has the greater extent, but to an American, the UK will seem
heavily metricated.
>We still have choice.
I'll comment on this in a separate message when I have my thoughts
together, as it is an important issue.
>Off topic - I notice you have VMS in your email title - is that to do with
>Dec/Compaq/HP VMS? As in open-vms etc?
Absolutely. We have been using this operating system (we are an ISP)
since we started. It is a secure, rock solid, dependable system that
far exceeds Unix in stability, but without the horrible user interface
(it is also command line, but uses sensible and intuitive commands,
unlike the Unix hieroglyphics). Though mainly used by banks, online
stock exchanges and lottery systems, it is rumored that OpenVMS is the
operating system that God runs the Earth Simulation on.
Perhaps we have something in common after all.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Tom Wade | EMail: tee dot wade at eurokom dot ie
EuroKom | Tel: +353 (1) 296-9696
A2, Nutgrove Office Park | Fax: +353 (1) 296-9697
Rathfarnham | Disclaimer: This is not a disclaimer
Dublin 14 | Tip: "Friends don't let friends do Unix !"
Ireland
