Pat, Here are some comments on your analysis of the blog:
The choice is "What is the optimum SI *Prefix* to use for a particular application?" not "What is the choice of SI Unit for that particular application?" If one accepts that SI is superior to any other "collection of miscellaneous units," the "complete set of coherent SI Units" is already fully prescribed. Only the SI prefixes remain to be selected for various applications. We are all aware that you recommend the prefix "milli" rather than the prefix "centi" for all applications to the unit "meter" BUT the SI unit is "meter" in both cases. Others, including myself, recommend the freedom to select the prefix centi as in "centimeter" for human clothing measurements and other applications that do not require the convenience offered by the prefixes milli, micro, nano, etc. Gene. ---- Original message ---- >Date: Sat, 24 Apr 2010 20:23:22 +1000 >From: Pat Naughtin <[email protected]> >Subject: [USMA:47256] Metrication in Africa >To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> >Cc: USMA Metric Association <[email protected]> > > Dear All, > I just found this > page > http://course-civil-engineering.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-metric-system-was-introduced-in.html >... Pat's comments (not necessarily Pat's recommendations): ...choose just one single unit if you > can. > For example, > All drinks will be measured in millilitres. > All buildings will be measured in millimetres. >... > In the teaching institutions, on the other hand, the > rules were (and still are ?): > 1 Choose as many units as you possibly can. >... 2 Encourage conversion between all the metric > system units that you have chosen. Don't forget to > include all the ones you have made up.
