Does "going metric" just mean we measure and specify things with metric units, or does it mean we adopt international standards for sizes of common products, like paper, food and beverages, tools, building materials, plumbing, and basically everything we ever buy or use? Will we opt for the bare-minimum approach, or try to really align ourselves with international standards? Obviously, the economic pressure to "go metric" is as much or more related to hard metric sized products than to what unit we measure them with.I am not sure, if I read your mind right and if this is usma feeling too. I have been in touch with USMA while I was in US during 1984-86 and now when I went visiting my children. My impression so far has been, the US society by itself is desirous of going METRIC but 'not at its own'. It seems to delay the process and go slow - looking for trade interests.
The objective is NOT ONLY acceptance of 'measuring units, the Metric Way' but also to *standardise and seek interchangables* within the boundries of US. Since an affluent nation, perhaps the 'mind set' is when we can BUY *brain and product* let it gesatate elsewhere and we can fetch it when we need. This no doubt, is great and good policy but it was so till 1800's & industrial growh had just started taking off. The delay of THESE twoo hundred years is now getting costly and the shoe started pinching. so the need is 'understood & being homed' into the American mind. How far: is again a BILLION dollar question! I am reminded of Charlie Willard's editorial:
How far Do We Metricate? Standards Engineering, Minnesota (USA); pp.10 � 11; 1973 October
who had read some ideas about my *time proposal* and reacted sharply and rightly: he must have retired into the woods!
METRICATION has come to saty in Ameica and SI is the *only Bible* which has been modified from time to time. True, it needs updation, inclusive reform of the Time & Calebdars. Yes, America can always 'import brain power' BUT let it use her own resources too.
Since, I am back in India I would love to continue to enhance America's Metric dream, so my grand children and understand and learn METRIC. It simply has to start from schools.
My regards for Madam Young and Valerie. Thanks for your time, anyway.
Brij Bhushan Vij <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
20030916/16:48 PM(IST)
Aa Nau Bhadra Kritvo Yantu Vishwatah -Rg Veda.
*****The New Calendar Rhyme*****
Thirty days in July, September:
April, June, November, December;
All the rest have thirty-one; accepting February alone:
Which hath but twenty-nine, to be (in) fine;
Till leap year gives the whole week READY:
Is it not time to MODIFY or change to make it perennial, Oh Daddy!And make the calendar work with Leap Week Rule! ***** ***** ***** *****
From: "John S. Ward" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [USMA:26981] To what extent will the U.S. go metric? (Was A4 paper size...)
Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2003 21:04:09 -0700
Thanks everyone who contributed to explaining the extent of ISO series papers
sizes in the world. The reason for my question is to try to understand to
what extent will the U.S. "go metric."
First and foremost, I will point out the obvious. The metric system is a way
of measuring things. The metric system is does not include or specify metric
products.
Does "going metric" just mean we measure and specify things with metric units,
or does it mean we adopt international standards for sizes of common
products, like paper, food and beverages, tools, building materials,
plumbing, and basically everything we ever buy or use? Will we opt for the
bare-minimum approach, or try to really align ourselves with international
standards? Obviously, the economic pressure to "go metric" is as much or
more related to hard metric sized products than to what unit we measure them
with.
I would expect that eventually practically all consumer goods will be sold in
hard-metric sizes (e.g., milk by the liter, bulk foods by the kg, lengths,
volumes, heights, etc.)
It also seems clear that manufacturing will adopt already-standard metric
fastener sizes (screws, nuts, bolts, etc.) And certainly metric-sized tools
will be needed for metric-sized parts.
I would also expect the electronics industry to ultimately go hard-metric, except for the most common existing non-metric components and connectors.
What about pipes, valves, hydraulics, and building materials? This one is
hard to say. For example, plumbers will be repairing and maintaining
existing systems for about a century, so a full set of inches parts will be
available. I predict that plumbing will not convert to hard-metric, although
I hope I'm wrong.
What about paper? Perhaps most of us have documents printed on A4 paper
collected from foreign travels, friends, or business associates. It's quite
a pain since A4 paper doesn't really fit in American 3 ring binders, folders,
or file cabinets. As I've pointed out before, NASA engineers draw metric
drawings on metric sheet sizes. I think there are some significant
advantages to switching to ISO series paper sizes, but (like plumbing) I
predicted that the U.S. will not convert. Perhaps we will continue to use
8.5x11 inch paper, quoting sizes in cm or mm. However, if the rest of the
world is really united in using standard paper sizes, then maybe, just maybe,
the U.S. will convert, too. I hope so!
John
Le Lundi 15 Septembre 2003 19:45, Michael Payne a �crit :
> I've lived in a number of countries, from memory both Kenya and South
> Africa are exclusively A4 paper countries as are probably all countries in
> Africa with the close connection all had with Europe. I've also lived in
> the Middle East (UAE) where they use A4 and A3 size paper. Here in the US
> many hotels seem to use neither Letter nor Legal size for bills, obviously
> getting specially cut paper to their own size. Bell Atlantic (now Verizon)
> used to use many sheets of very small paper, now they use some larger
> proprietary size, still smaller than letter size, much to my annoyance.
> I've found many companies in the US come out with odd paper sizes, which I
> normally get as a bill or statement. I'm going to have to measure some and
> see exactly how big they are.
>
> Michael Payne
>
> > [Original Message]
> > From: John S. Ward <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > To: U.S. Metric Association <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >
> > Date: 11/9/03 23:08:17
> >
> > Subject: [USMA:26955] A4 paper outside of Europe & Australia?
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > I've already gathered that A4 paper is ubiquitous in Europe and
>
> Australia, and
>
> > that "letter" is the standard in North America.
> >
> > Would those few folks on this list who are NOT from Europe, North
>
> America, or
>
> > Australia tell me if the ISO A series paper sizes (e.g., A4) are standard
>
> in
>
> > your countries? India? South America? Asia? Africa? Middle East?
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > John
>
> --- Michael Payne
> --- [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> --- EarthLink: The #1 provider of the Real Internet.
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