Hopefully they managed to recode the software to work with real
centimetres in later releases of Powerpoint. But it does show a complete
ignorance when it comes to measurement in the US at that time, i.e. they
designed the software to work in something other than cm, then had to
fudge the way it works to make it look like it was using cm. But at
least on that page they state
"working in the metric system is really easier than working in the
English system" -- now if only they could correctly call it the US
system or the Imperial system, inches are certainly not the English
system, and if only the whole of the US would realise the simple truth
that "working in the metric system is really easier than working in [any
other] system".
David King
Pat Naughtin wrote:
Dear All,
I know that this is a bit old but it shows a strange mindset that it is
quite comfortable redefining world standards � on the fly.
See:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=189826
for Microsoft's attitude to the metric system back in 1997.
Has Microsoft changed their attitude to standards since then?
By the way this reminds me of an even older riddle.
Question: How many software engineers does it take to change a light bulb?
Answer: None, they simply redefine darkness as the new standard.
Cheers,
Pat Naughtin ASM (NSAA), LCAMS (USMA)*
PO Box 305, Belmont, Geelong, Australia
Phone 61 3 5241 2008
Pat Naughtin is the editor of the free online monthly newsletter,
'Metrication matters'. You can subscribe by going to
http://www.metricationmatters.com and clicking on 'Newsletter'.
* Pat is the editor of the 'Numbers and measurement' chapter of the
Australian Government Publishing Service 'Style manual for writers,
editors and printers', he is an Accredited Speaking Member (ASM) with the
National Speakers Association of Australia, and a Lifetime Certified
Advanced Metrication Specialist (LCAMS) with the United States Metric
Association.
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