On Feb 24 , at 12:46 PM, <[email protected]> <[email protected]> wrote:
> Bill, Which of these variations, apart from their lengths, do you like?
> Parts in (...) optional:
>
> "Base Units of SI (to be) More Precisely Defined"
>
> "Base Units (of SI) Defined More Precisely"
>
> "Units of SI (to be) Defined Independent of Artifacts"
>
> "Metric Units (to be) Defined Numerically (independent of Artifacts)"
>
> Gene.
None of the above, because:
a. "Base Units of SI (to be) More Precisely Defined"
But ALL units, not just SI will be more precisely defined by the new
definitions. Don't "blame it" on SI.
b. "Base Units (of SI) Defined More Precisely"
It is NOT just about SI; thus this one might be OK if the parenthetical
reference to SI is omitted.
c. "Units of SI (to be) Defined Independent of Artifacts"
But it is NOT just SI units that will independent of artifacts; Ye Olde English
units will be also.
d. "Metric Units (to be) Defined Numerically (independent of Artifacts)"
It is NOT just metric units that will be defined differently. It is ALL units
of ALL systems.
Most of the other ways that people have tried to find would be just fine IF
these phrases would be used only by those who are well aware of the
technicalities involved. Those people ("we" included, if I may be so bold)
understand what is being changed (and what is not).
However, any reference to "changing SI" or "changing metric" will be viewed by
the general public as meaning that things like the metre and the kilogram are
being changed (in size), which the general public will believe means that SI
and metric units weren't good enough to start with, so they were probably all
wrong in the first place, and therefore the metric system is inaccurate,
stupid, bad, a plot by (take your pick) the communists, the French, or
al–Qaida, too uncertain to be a useful measurement system, etc., etc., etc. and
more etc.
It is the perception of the general public that I am concerned about when we
start talking about "New SI", etc. I'm hoping we insist upon a way of
describing what is being done that does NOT indicate that "the metric system"
is being changed. I think (b.) above, without the reference to SI, would be one
acceptable solution, but it is not the only solution and maybe not even the
best solution.
Bill Hooper
1800 mm tall*
Fernandina Beach, Florida, USA
*same size millimetres before and after new definitions are adopted.
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SImplification Begins With SI.
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