<<Daniel has identified one of the areas (no pun intended) where some of the minor prefixes of SI (deci, centi, deka and hecto) are helpful. The one he identified is AREA (below), But I need to add that, just as he says I forgot about area, he has forgotten about VOLUME. Volume presents an even MORE pressing reason to use the minor prefixes or to make some other adjustment to pure SI. >> I agree that the minor prefixes certainly have their uses, or they wouldn't be there in the first place...as long as the system remains consistent, decimal, and universal. (If someone introduced "octometres" or "tridekabels", or if "kilo" meant "950" on a Tuesday in Arizona, then I'd be far less tolerant). I, personally, would rather give my height as 18dm rather than 1.8m or 180cm, because decimeters seem to "fit". I also feel the use of prefixes with "liters (litres)" and "ares" is justified by convenience and common usage: again, it does not threaten the criterion of "remaining consistent, decimal, and universal". To put it another way, if milliters should be replaced by cubic centimeters always, then shouldn't liters give way to cubic decimeters always? More constructively, I'd like to ask the group: what can I actually do to aid in US (and Canadian) metrication. This isn't sarcasm: I really need suggestions. Randi East o' Philly
