Metrology for Americans - or why a pint is not a pound the whole world round

[skepticalbip]

Imperial measures, aka 'English', aka 'American', ak(apparently)a 'SAE' are an abomination and must be eradicated.

Oddly enough, that isn't completely true. I work in a field, geotech, that is based heavily on English units... ie drive a hammer that weighs x pounds a distance of y inches into the ground until your sampler penetrates z inches. There was an attempt to shift to metric, but it didn't work well because the science is wrapped around correlations from field testing done in English units and it'd be impossible to shift it to metric without fucking up the entire system.

Otherwise, I'm quite good with shifting to a measuring system that has more logic.

Shifting your field to metric may cause difficulties for you but just wait until the universal shift to metric time...
There will be massive confusion world wide with the switch to new calenders, clocks, work schedules, etc.



ETA:
But it may be worth it in the end to have December once again be the tenth month as it was intended to be.

 

[bilby]

Imperial measures, aka 'English', aka 'American', ak(apparently)a 'SAE' are an abomination and must be eradicated.

Oddly enough, that isn't completely true. I work in a field, geotech, that is based heavily on English units... ie drive a hammer that weighs x pounds a distance of y inches into the ground until your sampler penetrates z inches. There was an attempt to shift to metric, but it didn't work well because the science is wrapped around correlations from field testing done in English units and it'd be impossible to shift it to metric without fucking up the entire system.

Otherwise, I'm quite good with shifting to a measuring system that has more logic.

No. Just no.

If there was a concerted attempt to switch to SI, it would have succeeded. What you mean is that there was a truly half-arsed attempt by a bunch of hide-bound geotech field-workers to pretend to care about a system they didn't even bother learn the correct name for (hint - if you tried to move to 'metric' you shouldn't have - you should move to SI); and that having satisfied their bosses that it was a failure, they were allowed to go back to their old bad habits.

It'd be impossible to shift it to metric without fucking up the entire system or occasionally using some basic arithmetic during a brief transition period.

Unless basic arithmetic is beyond you? In which case the 'English' system is definitely a bad, bad, choice.

By the way, if it is 'impossible', how come the other 95% of the world did it? Is it only impossible in the USA? Don't they have geotech anywhere else in the world?

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Oddly enough, that isn't completely true. I work in a field, geotech, that is based heavily on English units... ie drive a hammer that weighs x pounds a distance of y inches into the ground until your sampler penetrates z inches. There was an attempt to shift to metric, but it didn't work well because the science is wrapped around correlations from field testing done in English units and it'd be impossible to shift it to metric without fucking up the entire system.

Otherwise, I'm quite good with shifting to a measuring system that has more logic.

No. Just no.

If there was a concerted attempt to switch to SI, it would have succeeded. What you mean is that there was a truly half-arsed attempt by a bunch of hide-bound geotech field-workers to pretend to care about a system they didn't even bother learn the correct name for (hint - if you tried to move to 'metric' you shouldn't have - you should move to SI); and that having satisfied their bosses that it was a failure, they were allowed to go back to their old bad habits.

It'd be impossible to shift it to metric without fucking up the entire system or occasionally using some basic arithmetic during a brief transition period.

Unless basic arithmetic is beyond you? In which case the 'English' system is definitely a bad, bad, choice.

Ok folks, because some Aussies don't get it, we need to drive a 63.5 kg hammer a distance of 76.2 centimeters, and record the number of blows it takes the 5.1 cm diameter spoon to advance 15.24 centimeter intervals.

By the way, if it is 'impossible', how come the other 95% of the world did it? Is it only impossible in the USA? Don't they have geotech anywhere else in the world?

Rounding for the most part.

 

[beero1000]

No. Just no.

If there was a concerted attempt to switch to SI, it would have succeeded. What you mean is that there was a truly half-arsed attempt by a bunch of hide-bound geotech field-workers to pretend to care about a system they didn't even bother learn the correct name for (hint - if you tried to move to 'metric' you shouldn't have - you should move to SI); and that having satisfied their bosses that it was a failure, they were allowed to go back to their old bad habits.

It'd be impossible to shift it to metric without fucking up the entire system or occasionally using some basic arithmetic during a brief transition period.

Unless basic arithmetic is beyond you? In which case the 'English' system is definitely a bad, bad, choice.

Ok folks, because some Aussies don't get it, we need to drive a 63.5 kg hammer a distance of 76.2 centimeters, and record the number of blows it takes the 5.1 cm diameter spoon to advance 15.24 centimeter intervals.

By the way, if it is 'impossible', how come the other 95% of the world did it? Is it only impossible in the USA? Don't they have geotech anywhere else in the world?

Rounding for the most part.

I don't get it, and I'm not even Australian. Once you have the setup, wouldn't it be simple to convert? The physical objects don't even need to change, and the measurements needed to be taken anyway...

 

[fromderinside]

Oddly enough, that isn't completely true. I work in a field, geotech, that is based heavily on English units... ie drive a hammer that weighs x pounds a distance of y inches into the ground until your sampler penetrates z inches. There was an attempt to shift to metric, but it didn't work well because the science is wrapped around correlations from field testing done in English units and it'd be impossible to shift it to metric without fucking up the entire system.

Otherwise, I'm quite good with shifting to a measuring system that has more logic.

No. Just no.

If there was a concerted attempt to switch to SI, it would have succeeded. What you mean is that there was a truly half-arsed attempt by a bunch of hide-bound geotech field-workers to pretend to care about a system they didn't even bother learn the correct name for (hint - if you tried to move to 'metric' you shouldn't have - you should move to SI); and that having satisfied their bosses that it was a failure, they were allowed to go back to their old bad habits.

It'd be impossible to shift it to metric without fucking up the entire system or occasionally using some basic arithmetic during a brief transition period.

Unless basic arithmetic is beyond you? In which case the 'English' system is definitely a bad, bad, choice.

By the way, if it is 'impossible', how come the other 95% of the world did it? Is it only impossible in the USA? Don't they have geotech anywhere else in the world?

Basic arithmetic is beyond many apparently. Back in the day '82 as person responsible for MS 1472C revision from B revision I had to correct most MKS and FPS measurement for standard sizes and measurement of such as chairs, tables, and the like when used by military in specifying physical contract values for stuff we use to blow things up.