Here's a map of countries that have not yet adopted the metric system

That's very good advice for learning all kinds of different systems (like languages). Don't convert, learn what it is, and not what it translates to.

Exactly. (boy, I love agreeing with myself.)
When you learn a new language you go from thinking "little fluffy thing" = rabbit to "little fluffy thing" = lapin.
You don't think "little fluffy thing, uh, rabbit" = lapin. If you did it would take you forever to say what you want to say.

In the 80's, I worked for a company named Yuba Heat. They made huge transfer vessels (pressurized tanks) for the oil industry. We were graced by the presence of a chief engineer named Nicholsen. Funny guy and really smart.

When the company got their first order for equipment to be sent to the UAE, it was in metric. The other engineers were moaning that it would take weeks to redraw the plans so the welders in the shop could make the pieces. Nicholsen said "no way." and, after buying about fifty metric measuring tapes and metal rules from WWGRAINGER, he went out to the shop and met with each welder and told them :
1) he wanted all their English tapes and rules
and 2) showed them all they had to do was read.
If the plan said 72mm, so would the tape.
Those old boys with their polka-dot welding caps and a little bit of snuff between their cheek and gums said "Okay. It's just lines on a ruler anyway, right?"

And that's why, when the tanks arrived in Dubai, the nozzles with the twenty-seven 18cm holes spaced 45mm apart fit right up with pipes they bought from France.

Joe(and why Yuba is still hiring welders today.)Nation

Why should we switch to the metric system, apart from joining the crowd?

Because the United States is after all not a small autarkic island.

And, so, according to you, we don't even have the right to determine what happens within our own borders?

BTW, I am not advocating not adopting it, I just wondered what the individual who started the thread would give for a reason.

Because it makes everything so much easier. When was the last time you did any physics in inches and foot-pounds?

It's simple, Brandon! If the United States wants to export and be competitive
in the world market, they have to adopt to the standards that are used around the world, not the other way around.
Read Joe Nation's post again, and it will give you some indication why those
welders had to use the metric system.

Because it's decimalized silly. Has nothing to do with the crowd.

It makes sense and is not based on some old dead guy's foot, or his arm or something nonsensical like that. There are whole institutions aimed at preserving the exact imperial measurements so that they don't drift but some of that is built into the metric system (e.g. a litre of water weighs one kilogram) by not using some arbitrary standard like the king's arm that we no longer have available for measurement.

You don't need to memorize that there are 5,280 feet to the mile, you just remember that "kilo" is 1,000 and kilometer means 1,000 meters.

But you should know all this, and if you really don't see a benefit from decimalization then I'm not sure I can help you.

roger wrote :

"My only rule of thumb is that -40C = -40F. Not that it's especially useful."

come to canada and experience it - BIG GRIN .
hbg

what's that country on the top left....over the US?

You mean Alaska?

gotcha

i kow i'm an old guy .
going to school in hamburg/germany , we had to learn both metric and imperial measures - our teacher even taught us how to use REAUMUR .
working in the port of hamburg for eight years , i had to be familiar with both metric and imp . - but i don't know what it's like now .
if children are being taught early enough it's no big deal imo .
i know : my grandpappy did it that way - no newfangled ideas welcome - had to get used to that coming to canada .
hbg

Blimey. Autarkic....I learned a new word!

cj wrote :

"Because the United States is after all not a small autarkic island. "

that's right , it's a BIG WUN - GRIN !
hbg

I'm sure, HHboy, not many know that the abbreviation for ½kilo is

Its all very nice to work in a decimal system. But believe me, if the US changes to metric, you will being paying for it for the next 50 years.
When imperial nuts, bolts, studs, bearings, bearing housings,shafting,seals, etc etc become scarce , maintaining machinery becomes a nightmare. The simplest job becomes a major one ... been there done that ....
ps, I still have to convert liters per hundred kilometers to MPG to see what fuel consumption I am REALLY getting .... oh and thats IMPERIAL gallons, you know, the REAL gallon, not the little one ... *wink*

Oh Walter , this wasn't meant as a reply to you .... just a comment on the subject...

The only benefit that I know of is that everything is in factors of 10, as you say, but that isn't really a make or break issue. I have no problem with the metric system, I have no problem with the British Engineering system (feet and pounds). My only point is that the metric system doesn't have magical properties.

I didn't say that I don't see any benefit. I do, but only a small benefit. I have no problem with the metric system. I've used it preferentially since high school physics, but it is only a small benefit.

[hi , walter ! good to see you here . i'm still struggling with the new and improved (GRIN) a2k - may eventually get the hang of it .
hbg - variously known as : hamburgboy or hamburger - SHOCK - GRIN]

back to the topic :
i can work in either system - as long as you tell me : "IMPERIAL" or american gallon .
as a "proud subject of the crown" , i suggest the IMPERIAL gallon as the mandatory measurement .

and while we are at it :
who had the audacity to do away with the FARTHING and SOVEREIGN ?
why don't bring back the WOODEN nickel - at least it has collector value .
hbg (having lots of fun - hopefully at no one's expense)

this one is worth something !