I have heard that part of the problem in the US has to do with retooling all
the machines. If we were to switch it would mean dual tools, one set to
work on yesterdays machinery and another to work on new machines. If our
country were much smaller the cost would be greatly reduced.
I teach very little of the old english measurements, but if they are not
taught, then the students are unprepared for daily life.
Because something is better does not necessarily mean it will catch on. Our
standard keyboard was designed to slow down typing speed so the keys
wouldn't get tangled. We know of faster keyboards, but who plans on
retraining all of those who already type the *old* way? It isn't hard to
switch the keyboards anymore, just pop off some key covers and change the
control panel. A small company can change and update easier than a large
one can
Gregg
> John A. Prosper wrote:
> >
> >And the visualization problem will remain until the conversion to
> >metric is complete; that is, drop the old English system entirely
> >(greatly de-emphasize its teaching in school), and convert all
> >measurement systems (gasoline pumps, grocery goods quantities,
> >auto/aircraft distance meters, etc.) to metric...
>
> Here in the UK only metric has been taught in schools for around twenty
> years, so we have young and old people who do not understand each others'
> terms of reference! Our pro-European Nanny state has decreed this year
that
> all goods for sale by weight have to be marked in prices both per pound
and
> per kilo, with the price per pound to be dropped next year.
>
> I went today to a three-day local market held by stallholders from
> continental Europe and their prices were marked only per kilo - they
seemed
> SO expensive!
>
> Gary Edwards wrote:
> >...but I buy my milk in gallons, thank you very much!
> Our gallons are (were!) bigger than your gallons! Well, you don't often
get
> a chance to say anything like that to a Texan! :-)
>
> Regards,
> Keith Berry (Birmingham, England)
> keith_r.k.berry@xxxxxxxxxx
> http://homepages.which.net/~k.berry
>
>
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