Should we go to the metric system?

[Michael Weber]

Jeez, we debated this back in the 70's. Still no progress on going metric. The problem lies in converting between systems. How many Cm's in an inch, etc. Simply forget about conversion from metric to imperial, the problem is in the conversion. If suddenly people were driving kilometers it would take 15 minutes for the average person to learn how far a kilometer is and to start thinking in km's. If measuring in centimeters it would be obvious after a few minutes how long a cm was to the average person. But we live in a country where politicians are afraid to make any decision that might inconvience anyone. sooo..., here we are.

[Tom Winship]

I just bought a sheet of 5mm plywood. Kinda loose in a 1/4" groove.

[Horton Brasses]

The Brits made the transition many moons ago. They still use both side by side and it is confusing to them and anyone who deals with them.

The legacy of our standards will take decades to disappear. Machinery and tooling have very long lifespans, changing the standard would wreak havoc on industry.

Anyone who regularly deals with both Metric and Standard sizes learns to do quick conversions. 25.4mm=1 inch, 4mmx.7 screws are close to an 8-32, etc.

[Dan Hintz]

If we all had to buy a PC AND a Mac because some websites are designed for one or the other but not both.... you'd be pissed.

I have to keep Internet Explorer on my PC, despite MS saying it's not a necessary component, because some sites don't allow FireFox, and it must be used with most of their development tools' help files.

Yeah, I'm pissed... and I don't even want to think about adding the Mac to the equation.

[Marty Paulus]

I just bought a sheet of 5mm plywood. Kinda loose in a 1/4" groove.

6.35mm is size

That being said. All day long at work it is metric. I come home to the imperial system. Yes I have two sets of tools. No way around it. Although if all you work on is modern cars you could almost get rid of 95% of your standard tools. About the only areas I am sure are still standard are spark plugs and I believe the lug nuts are still standard. Now my 1986 engines in my boat still have all the parts standard. Even if the country said that tomorrow we are going over to the metric system you would still need to have the tools and parts available in the old system. Since I work in the auto industry I cannot comment on if the consumer industry has made the conversion. I will have to check a few new items I have bought this year and see what size the bolts and such are.

It is sort of like buying lumber today. If you have a 100 year old house and try to rebuild any of it you will quickly find that a 2X4 back then meant the board measured 2" X 4". You have to build up any modern lumber to fit it in.

[Mike Cruz]

The metric system makes me seem SO much further away from Steve Schlumpf...

[Chuck Wintle]

I have to keep Internet Explorer on my PC, despite MS saying it's not a necessary component, because some sites don't allow FireFox, and it must be used with most of their development tools' help files.

Yeah, I'm pissed... and I don't even want to think about adding the Mac to the equation.

That will change as more and more sites become web standard compliant. IE is still not completely there but firefox and safari are. Its just a matter of time.

[Chuck Wintle]

The Brits made the transition many moons ago. They still use both side by side and it is confusing to them and anyone who deals with them.

The legacy of our standards will take decades to disappear. Machinery and tooling have very long lifespans, changing the standard would wreak havoc on industry.

Anyone who regularly deals with both Metric and Standard sizes learns to do quick conversions. 25.4mm=1 inch, 4mmx.7 screws are close to an 8-32, etc.

GM introduced metric fasteners on some vehicles years ago...it was hals standard and half metric. Too bad they did not go all the way with that idea.

[Bryan Morgan]

Our old Chrysler car had bolts in both metric and imperial... not fun to work on!

[Lee Schierer]

Yes, but I didn't like the wording of your survey so I decline to vote.

We are almost metric anyway. Most cars are already 70-80% metric, bottled products are mostly metric, nearly all food products are labeled with both, change the road signs gradually. Machinists work in decimal dimensions so the change shouldn't be too bad for the few machine shops we have left. A five year change period would not be overly costly and might actually save money.

[David Woodruff]

Learn to think both ways. We all can visualize an inch which also =2.54cm,= 25.4mm, = 254um. I like the fact that just moving the decimal point is easier than the inches, foot, yard, thing. I have trouble translating(visualizing) carats to grams much less pounds and remembering that troy is different than avoirdupois for measuring some things. It would be nice to have a universal measuring system, ain't gonna happen. Want to get further confused and learn the very, very diversity of world wide measurements. Buy the small paperback "Measure for Measure". Squoia Printing. It is interesting and offers a perspective on the English vs Metric system. The "perspective" you will need to determmine for yourself. For me I determined that "the debate" is fairly insignificant and typical political posturing. That said I will end this discussion in a spat. Google "spat" not what you think

[Horton Brasses]

One of our mistakes in transitioning to metric is the way it's taught. I spent a lot of time in elementary school sorting out the more obscure metric dimensions like decimeter, centiliter, deciliter, kiloliter, and the ever useful dekagram. This is silly and confusing-yes it all makes sense to an adult brain-you just need to learn the prefixes but teachers didn't understand it or teach it well.

Countries that use the metric system use cm, mm, meter, km, gram, and kg. That's it unless you are dealing with hectares for area. Decimeter, and all the rest are pointless and just add to the chaos.

[Stew Hagerty]

I remember when I was in school during the 60's and 70's we were told that we were supposedly already in the process of changing over to metric.

Well THAT happened didn't it!

Also in the 70's Roger Billings company was operating a commuter bus line running on his innovative Hydrogen Engine that cost 1/3 as much to operate as a gasoline engine, produced absolutely zero polutants, not to mention that Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. Roger tried to get the auto companies to use his engine.

Yeah, and THAT happened too!

[Mitchell Andrus]

One of our mistakes in transitioning to metric is the way it's taught. I spent a lot of time in elementary school sorting out the more obscure metric dimensions like decimeter, centiliter, deciliter, kiloliter, and the ever useful dekagram. This is silly and confusing-yes it all makes sense to an adult brain-you just need to learn the prefixes but teachers didn't understand it or teach it well.

Countries that use the metric system use cm, mm, meter, km, gram, and kg. That's it unless you are dealing with hectares for area. Decimeter, and all the rest are pointless and just add to the chaos.

Learning a different system isn't the thing.... It's grabbing the 'wrong' wrench, crawling under a car, getting somewhat comfortable and finding that you didn't need 9/16", it's 1/2", or is it 12mm, or 11mm, or 13mm or --- how about we all strap 5 or 6 wrenches to our chest?

I don't mind one or the other, fractions don't bother me.... but do we REALLY need to have BOTH anymore?

If the argument is it'll take a decade or two so we shouldn't do it..... 'K... If we had switched 25 or 30 years ago, we'd be a lot closer to needing only one set of wrenches.

I'd still grab the wrong size, but the choices for proper fit would be fewer.
.

[Mike Cruz]

"Spat", it has always been the past tense of "spit" to me...