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Changing to the Metric system

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Blurst
Posts: 13577 - Karma: 10,169
Seriously? Why doesnt the US get with the times and scrap the shitty imperial system. It makes no sense and the entire world runs on the metric system now. The US just needs to stop being so damn stubborn with their ridiculous measurement system.
Dec 15 2011 9:31AM
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RonSwanson
Posts: 214 - Karma: 18
Without a doubt, one of the more pressing issues.
Dec 15 2011 12:50PM
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feihlination
Posts: 8356 - Karma: 1,084
thats not really an argument in politics.

every other topic gets brushed away with this crap
Dec 15 2011 12:52PM
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.AR6rider.
Posts: 15976 - Karma: 8,799
Metric is only useful for science and medicine.

/thread
Dec 15 2011 1:00PM
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Mr.Gaga
Posts: 2021 - Karma: 542

They are not easier or better becose of fractions, I could have 10,125cm and just 10 1/8 cm. Had a project this year, we had to build a small prototype and imperial was realy usefull to have something between the principal metric mesures. 1 inch = 2,54cm. 1/2 = 1.27cm. 3/8 = 0,95cm. 1/4=0,64cm. 1/8=0,32cm. So for exemple if I'm looking for a bearing of 0,9cm diameter and i don't have 100$ to get custum buy bearings and the standard metric bearings diameters are every 0,2cm (0.6cm, 0.8cm, 1.0cm, etc), then the best for me is a 3/8 imperial size bearing. Worked with metric and impertial during the whole project and it's not realy hard, inch is little more the 2,5cm, 3/8 is little less then 1cm, 1/8 is 3 mm. But yeah it can be annoying, teacher said one of NASA satelite they sended on mars crashed becose of some metric/imperial conversion mistakes... nice way to lose 5 billion dollars.

Dec 15 2011 1:03PM
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applejuice.
Posts: 5506 - Karma: 1,512
This. As a science major, I can't live without it but other than that ew. Speaking of being stubborn Americans, I'd much rather we use British English here than our poopy American English.
Dec 15 2011 1:29PM
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Corin
Posts: 1665 - Karma: 524
Am I the only one who thinks decimals makes so much more sense than fractions? Counting with fractions is a pain in the ass. Let me show you an exemple:

It's easy to add decimals together, 0,8+1,3+6,5=8,6, very simple and logical.

But then look at this mess: 4/2+4/3+13/5=?

I hope you get my point there. There is a lot more stuff of course, and as someone who is raised on the metric system I could never really understand the point of imperial. Or maybe it has one use, 12" vinyl.
Dec 15 2011 1:38PM
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jorb.co
Posts: 2581 - Karma: 468











/thread
Dec 15 2011 2:02PM
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Peter.
Posts: 23796 - Karma: 13,014
as a biochem major, i am all for the switch
Dec 15 2011 2:04PM
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Laurent.
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 25,313
What you are used to seems way easier.

That said:
Click for larger image



Dec 15 2011 2:08PM
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PASKIINGSUCKS
Posts: 9097 - Karma: 777
Same here, I'm probably 1 in 100 US citizens that can tell you there are 25.4 mm to an inch.

This is what happens when you design packaging in the US and run it on a machine that was manufactured in switzerland or germany.

After a while though honestly, having a grasp on both makes you the king of the fuckin universe. I wish I had a nickel for every time I was with someone working on car that asked how many fuckin mm is a half inch.
Dec 15 2011 2:17PM
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angus_k_
Posts: 438 - Karma: 24

Think about ski lengths, they're all in cm's, and nobody shits the bed. You probably know pretty much how long 181cms is.

As for the 1/2 cup analogy, metric cups are quite common, and neatly measure a 1/4 litre. The US cup? That gets a litte confusing. Are you referring to a 1/2pint? Or the legal US cup, which is 8.12 fluid (US) ounces or 8.45 (UK) fluid ounces (but acutally defined as 240ml). (I LOVE WIKIPEDIA) 

I think people who work in metric use fractions, but maybe not as much. As soon as you move into the 32nd's, most people get lost anyway. Quick, is 11/32's bigger or smaller than 3/8's!?

As for construction, imperial is easier because the material is sold in imperial units. Boardfeet etc. Its mostly habit. Consider that a 2x8 is actually a 1.5x7.25, and that often the "units" are really just "names" to identify standard sizes.

The one US measurement I like is tap sizes, because they tell you turns/inch and the number of threads. But metric taps are nice too, the M3, M4, M5 system, distinguished with Coarse and fine.

Dec 15 2011 2:40PM
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.RYAN66
Posts: 5381 - Karma: 235
A 2x4 is no longer actually 2" x4" though. It is closer to 1 and half and 3 and half.
Dec 15 2011 2:57PM
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Broken_Rides
Posts: 334 - Karma: 224
I like to talk about my dick length in centimeters, makes it feel bigger.
Dec 15 2011 3:11PM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,123
It's because you are used to it though. If you tell my grandpa how far something is in km he has to convert it to miles before he can understand the distance. If you give me something in miles I have to do the opposite.

Metric in theory is a better system, it just means there will be an entire generation who has to convert stuff in their mind to the familiar unit.

I can't even imagine a surfboard measured in cm or skis measured in feet...
Dec 15 2011 3:17PM
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maxwell666
Posts: 554 - Karma: 20
instead of saying 1.8796 meters like a retard you could just say 188cm like a remotely intelligent person.
I say 8 and a half cm all the time, if you don't want to, you can also use millimeters, like 85mm.

Anyway, you can just use fractions with a denominator of 5 or 2 (and multiples of them) as opposed to 2 or 8 (and multiples)

Dec 15 2011 3:24PM
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J.M
Posts: 2854 - Karma: 254

this.

I believe the only issue impeding us would be the cost of converting it all over to metric.  It would be in the billions.

Dec 15 2011 3:28PM
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Charlie_Kelly
Posts: 11954 - Karma: 12,298
Mont/day/year is so much better than day/month/year
Dec 15 2011 3:28PM
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J.M
Posts: 2854 - Karma: 254
no, it really isn't.  When you ask for the date, you are looking for the day. You already know what month it is.  So it makes sense to put what you're looking for first.
Dec 15 2011 3:31PM
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CassiusClay
Posts: 1757 - Karma: 2
You did a speech on this? That must have been one fucking boring speech.
Dec 15 2011 3:36PM
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Milksteak
Posts: 9948 - Karma: 833
It's soooo much easier to measure my tall tees in inches though.
Dec 15 2011 3:39PM
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DGski
Posts: 3491 - Karma: 2,328
lolque
Dec 15 2011 3:39PM
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Mike-O
Posts: 14593 - Karma: 1,089
Seems like a good idea. Most of the points made in favor of the Imperial system are pretty weak. Laughable, actually.

Splitting cookies into eights and such instead of thinking 12,5... It's all a matter of growing up with it and being taught how to use which ever system, but the Imperial measures are old and backwards. That cup example was the crown jewel of silliness... Seriously, ½ cup is a good measure.. Half of which cup? This cup? Or that one? Maybe this over here?

I've always loved the picture Lawrence. posted, if that doesn't bring sense to the whole matter then I don't know what will.


Arbitrary Retarded Rollercoaster - a perfect analogy.
Dec 15 2011 7:22PM
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ORDEAL
Posts: 6386 - Karma: 75
Im american, and i have no fucking problem with decimals because if i really want to use decimals i can do a rough conversion in my head. like 83.3 is 83 and a third inches or whatever the fuck im using.


honestly, i say just use whatever the fuck you want, just make sure everyones on the same page
Dec 15 2011 7:27PM
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mew3
Posts: 41 - Karma: 10
black president man. not muc hwe can do
Dec 15 2011 7:34PM
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I_liketobutter
Posts: 2664 - Karma: 997
ur fraction advantage as in ease of use only works up to 1/8th increments.

wut about 5/16ths? or 7/32nds? gimme the decimal off the top of your head. you can still use fractions w/ the metric system. 1/4 meter or 1 1/8 cm, its all the same

im in school for engineering and the fact that i have to go through enormous amounts of bullshit because the US has their nose 10 fucking miles in the air pisses me off.

at least they could have made some system that doesn't rely on ridiculous measurements like:

1 mile - 5280ft WTF
1 lb = 16oz WTF
One gallon - 128floz seriously WTF
Dec 15 2011 7:36PM
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LittleFoot
Posts: 1667 - Karma: 57
LOL at all the retards defending the imperial system.
Dec 15 2011 7:41PM
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navierSTOKED
Posts: 858 - Karma: 33
As far as I'm concerned yards, inches, pounds are all fine.. The cost to change would far outweigh any real benefit.  As far as all science being in metric, well that maybe true but engineering is definitely not.  Converting pressures and forces from psi's and slugs/ft.s^2 is a pain in the arse.  Who the fuck uses gas constants in feet pound-force per pounds rankine??
Dec 15 2011 7:57PM
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GBS
Posts: 1386 - Karma: 33
U said it....
Dec 15 2011 7:57PM
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the.cheat
Posts: 2859 - Karma: 171
having grown up on the imperial system i use it often, but since i take a lot of engineering and science courses, i also use them a lot. i tend to use metric for designing small things, i like mm, cm, and grams, etc. but for things bigger then a foot or so, i go imperial. especially when i'm just roughing things out in my head or with another person, i can just visualize 3 feet so much better then .914 meters.
Dec 15 2011 7:58PM
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las.
Posts: 1959 - Karma: 1,455
Click for larger image
Dec 15 2011 8:00PM
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Jthoms
Posts: 201 - Karma: 13
in elementary school they teach you to write in italics and to measure with the imperial system. Then in high school your teachers tell you to use the metric system and to type everything. wut america
Dec 15 2011 8:00PM
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Parks.
Posts: 5612 - Karma: 1,093
But then that ld just change everything and cost more money than it's worth
Dec 15 2011 8:05PM
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ORDEAL
Posts: 6386 - Karma: 75
wut


you mean cursive?
Dec 15 2011 8:19PM
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Liam.Butler
Posts: 709 - Karma: 17
I'm in metal fabrication and we never use imperial, and in the metric system for building something off a drawing you never use meters or centimeters you use milometers. It's much more accurate and you are able to work with even numbers since the tolerance for most jobs is +/- two mills. Imperial is fucking terrible and I hate having to use it. The only thing imperial is good for is building houses because those idiots have a hard time getting something close to an 1/8.
Dec 15 2011 8:30PM
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I_liketobutter
Posts: 2664 - Karma: 997
rofl, like a 2x4....wtf? its like 1.75 x 3.25
Dec 15 2011 8:36PM
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TijmenDal
Posts: 4849 - Karma: 1,295
The Brits did it recently, why can't you? There's only 3 countries in the world that use imperial...
Dec 15 2011 8:37PM
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Anathema
Posts: 21048 - Karma: 5,061
metric probably makes more sense but i feel like it's less practical. in metric, you either use a cm or a meter. what about all that shit in between? nobody says OH IT'S ROUGHLY 3 DECIMETERS LONG. no. it's easier to use inches and feet just for practical purposes.
Dec 15 2011 8:40PM
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corona
Posts: 12795 - Karma: 32,750
I'm entirely surprised you use metric. you're probably about the only place in North America. My dad runs a machine shop and my brother has worked as a machinist at NRC and I've worked in the industry myself for the past 4ish years. Practically everything is done in imperial. For compatibility you might make tap a thread in a metric size, and you might use metric sized hardware, but never have I run into anyone using metric for measurements. I asked my dad about it actually and he said you generally only have people writing out plans in metric when they're an engineer who doesn't realize all the shops they're sending the plans to work in imperial or a complete noob.
Dec 15 2011 8:41PM
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corona
Posts: 12795 - Karma: 32,750
I don't even think I've seen a metric caliper before. all our lathes and milling machines and everything else is all imperial.
Dec 15 2011 8:44PM
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84891jnf92048
Posts: 11552 - Karma: 2,550
That's because you live in a country that uses the imperial system. If you go to a ski or bike shop, everything is in metric, including calipers, because everyone uses metric since it is more accurate and easier to use.
Dec 15 2011 8:55PM
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I_liketobutter
Posts: 2664 - Karma: 997
no matter how much i hate imperial, this is true. almost all engr drawings sent to machinists are in imperial. at least in the US
Dec 15 2011 8:56PM
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84891jnf92048
Posts: 11552 - Karma: 2,550
And to clarify, everyone is referring to other countries, and bikes are almost always based off of the metric system. A lot of bike things used to be done in inches, but now almost everything except for suspension is measured in metric, and suspension when done in imperial has usually been converted very roughly from metric.
Dec 15 2011 8:59PM
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corona
Posts: 12795 - Karma: 32,750
I live in Canada. we are officially metric.
Dec 15 2011 9:08PM
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84891jnf92048
Posts: 11552 - Karma: 2,550
Oops! Oh well, it works way better for bikes. And taking tenths of tenths of tenths is way better for fractions than halves of halves of halves. If you are measuring everything, why do you need to visualize it anyway?
Dec 15 2011 9:10PM
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POW-WOW
Posts: 1464 - Karma: 46
I think we have initiated it already. Schools are starting to stress on teaching the metrics also so I feel like it's just unsaid that we are waiting for this generation die and incorporate it. It's just going to take some time.
Dec 15 2011 9:11PM
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skier_boy26
Posts: 11295 - Karma: 502
Metric is boring as fuck. Give me 12 inches to a foot and 5280 feet for a mile.
Dec 15 2011 9:12PM
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Liam.Butler
Posts: 709 - Karma: 17
Strange all of the calipers at where I work are metric/imperial, but as for the lathe,mills,cnc/manual punches/cnc break press are all in imperial so I have to convert every metric dimension to imperial.
Dec 15 2011 10:11PM
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corona
Posts: 12795 - Karma: 32,750
out of curiosity, is the owner or supervisor or whoever is in charge French?
Dec 15 2011 10:22PM
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Ski_ThEast
Posts: 1676 - Karma: 272
i also wouldn't mind changing to metric system, but the realty is that it would be so hard to suddenly change and probably fail.

For example, recently they changed BC (before christ) to BCE (before common era)  and changed AD (after death) to CE (common era), and i have no problem with this, except in every text book we learn in, it says BC and AD.  This is just a small example but even if they were to change it, the system we use now is already injected in everyones minds and almost everything would remain the same.  If they changed it nobody would suddenly go about saying they are 1,82 m.  Their still gonna say that their 6ft tall.
Dec 15 2011 10:23PM
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Liam.Butler
Posts: 709 - Karma: 17
the fractions you listed are improper fractions and are never used in life.

this would be a better example

23 1/8 + 1/2 + 3/16 = ?

it is not really that hard to figure out.
Dec 15 2011 10:24PM
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