Kijewski, Pat & all: >Wacek raises some interesting points. I will comment on one of them.
>Before I begin, I have to say that I define the word, metrication, as the >process of upgrading to the metric system. In my view, it is the metrication >process that is critically important if you want to upgrade to the metric >system simply and – perhaps more importantly – quickly. >When Wacek Kijewski writes: Surprisingly, the change was more visible and easier done in business (packaging, volumes, balances), industry (re-tooling), shops and streets (kilometer posts, speed signs, change to a right hand drive) than in a university laboratory. – and then asks – Why did they succeed in (a) relatively smooth way? Most members on the list have been ignoring my postings and the 'emphasis, I raised' about non-understanding the term - Metrication as the science that bridges metric system with measurements (Coinage, Weights & Measures). I coined the term METRICOLOGY, which was the first word of my contribution: Metric Norms for Time Standard; Standards Engineer, Bureau of Indian Standards; V5 N4; 1971 Oct.-Dec.; pp 58-62 published through Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi. Metricology, Metrication & metric system need be understood with relevance to be linked to METRE, the unit for length; and not alone being 'multiples & sub-multiples of 10' as commonly misconcieved! Today, I argue and ask: What calendar format is desired by UNITED Nations to be an acceptable option as The World Calendar and with what accuracy (Mean Year & Mean Lunation)? Please see: http://www.brijvij.com/bb_13th-nvrafriday.Wiki-srch.pdf Regards, Brij Bhushan Vij (MJD 2455132)/1361+D-308W44-02 (G. Tuesday, 2009 October 27H16:74 (decimal) EST Aa Nau Bhadra Kritvo Yantu Vishwatah -Rg Veda Jan:31; Feb:29; Mar:31; Apr:30; May:31; Jun:30 Jul:30; Aug:31; Sep:30; Oct:31; Nov:30; Dec:30 (365th day of Year is World Day) My Profile:http://www.brijvij.com/bbv_2col-vipBrief.pdf HOME PAGE: http://www.brijvij.com/ ******As per Kali V-GRhymeCalendaar***** "Koi bhi cheshtha vayarth nahin hoti, purshaarth karne mein hai" Contact # 001 (201) 675-8548 From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: [USMA:46074] Metrication in Africa Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:46:06 +1100 CC: [email protected] Dear All, I have just read an article by Wacek Kijewski, from Botswana, that I found at http://www.articlesbase.com/science-articles/how-the-simetric-system-was-introduced-in-africa-1302707.html Wacek raises some interesting points. I will comment on one of them. Before I begin, I have to say that I define the word, metrication, as the process of upgrading to the metric system. In my view, it is the metrication process that is critically important if you want to upgrade to the metric system simply and – perhaps more importantly – quickly. When Wacek Kijewski writes: Surprisingly, the change was more visible and easier done in business (packaging, volumes, balances), industry (re-tooling), shops and streets (kilometer posts, speed signs, change to a right hand drive) than in a university laboratory. – and then asks – Why did they succeed in (a) relatively smooth way? My immediate response is that the different groups used different metrication approaches; business, industry, shops, and streets all used direct metrication, selecting metric prefixes so that whole numbers could predominate. They avoided conversions and they avoided fractions, both decimal, and common of vulgar fractions. Examples are choosing millilitres and litres (but not centilitres and decilitres), grams and kilograms (but not centigrams and decigrams), millimetres and metres (but not centimetres and decimetres). On the other hand, primary and secondary schools, technical colleges, and universities tend to choose to encourage conversions and they continue to persist with teaching fractions of all types, binary, decimal, duodecimal, and common of vulgar fractions. Examples are choosing to teach millilitres, centilitres, decilitres, litres, hectolitres, cubic centimetres, cubic decimetres, and cubic hectometres; grams, centigrams, decigrams, kilograms, megagrams, and gigagrams; millimetres, centimetres, decimetres, metres, decametres, hectometres, kilometres, and megametres etc. These two approaches are so profoundly different that the first – direct metrication – can be adopted in a day; see http://metricationmatters.com/MetricationLeadersGuideInfo.html while the second can take hundreds of years; see http://www.metricationmatters.com/docs/ApproachesToMetrication.pdf Cheers, Pat Naughtin Author of the ebook, Metrication Leaders Guide, that you can obtain from http://metricationmatters.com/MetricationLeadersGuideInfo.html PO Box 305 Belmont 3216, Geelong, Australia Phone: 61 3 5241 2008 Metric system consultant, writer, and speaker, Pat Naughtin, has helped thousands of people and hundreds of companies upgrade to the modern metric system smoothly, quickly, and so economically that they now save thousands each year when buying, processing, or selling for their businesses. Pat provides services and resources for many different trades, crafts, and professions for commercial, industrial and government metrication leaders in Asia, Europe, and in the USA. Pat's clients include the Australian Government, Google, NASA, NIST, and the metric associations of Canada, the UK, and the USA. See http://www.metricationmatters.com for more metrication information, contact Pat at [email protected] or to get the free 'Metrication matters' newsletter go to: http://www.metricationmatters.com/newsletter to subscribe. _________________________________________________________________ New Windows 7: Find the right PC for you. Learn more. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/pc-scout/default.aspx?CBID=wl&ocid=PID24727::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WWL_WIN_pcscout:102009
