How many switched to Metric

decoweenie · 23rd January 2006, 19:16

Quote: (Originally Posted by onetime)

You mean that whole decimal thing didn't die out in the rest of the world when the US school systems gave up on teaching it as it was too hard? Who'd have thought.

I believe the Metric system was invented around 1700's, and the only reason Americans are using the Imperial system was because the Brits were too damn stubborn to accept it sooner...

Philippe GERIN · 23rd January 2006, 19:42

Quote: (Originally Posted by Janos)

When at the bar, beer is by the pint, but spirits are by the litre. Well, mililitre anyway.
Janos

Hey, at the bar in Russia the habit is you buy spirit by weight: 50g or 100g of Vodka !! and it's never a short fill !
Best
Philippe

jont · 23rd January 2006, 19:58

there is no question that the metric system makes much more sense, is easier to use, and makes the math of diving more logical.

However I have been to lazy to spend the hour it takes to grasp the metric system.

Cheers

decoweenie · 23rd January 2006, 19:59

Quote: (Originally Posted by jont)

The metric system is a system that predates the revolutionary war and should have beeen left there.

It was proposed by the French in 1990, so just a few years after...

onetime · 23rd January 2006, 20:00

Quote: (Originally Posted by decoweenie)

I believe the Metric system was invented around 1700's, and the only reason Americans are using the Imperial system was because the Brits were too damn stubborn to accept it sooner...

Who'd have thunk that Americans could be more stubborn than Brits?

My comment was meant to be a little bit of a dig at our American educational system and the Americentric attitude all of us Americans tend to have (and some of us enjoy

).

**vidodivr** · 23rd January 2006, 20:42

As I am reading the ANDI Inspiration manual, it is mostly written using the metric system, so I have been trying to switch over to metric. I use the mac and they have a cool unit converter as a dashboard widget and I just keep comparing the 2 and trying to memorize the basic round numbers and figuring out the math in between. I figured the rest of the world uses metric, I should too. Any pointers from you guys that made the switch to metric?

Rob

Philippe GERIN · 23rd January 2006, 22:05

Quote: (Originally Posted by vidodivr)

Any pointers from you guys that made the switch to metric?

Rob

Rob, I found (me being a metric person and teaching recreational OC in imperial) that a good transition for an "imperial" person to metric (ft to m) is to use the yard as an approximation in order to "visualize" depth or distance for surface swims... That's the way I explain to some of the students who are curious about the metric system and it seems to work.

My 2 hundreds of $ or £ or € or whatever you want.
Best
Philippe

PeteS · 23rd January 2006, 23:33

Quote: (Originally Posted by vidodivr)

As I am reading the ANDI Inspiration manual, it is mostly written using the metric system, so I have been trying to switch over to metric. I use the mac and they have a cool unit converter as a dashboard widget and I just keep comparing the 2 and trying to memorize the basic round numbers and figuring out the math in between. I figured the rest of the world uses metric, I should too. Any pointers from you guys that made the switch to metric?

Rob

Like all switches from anything to anything, it works best if you don't convert back and forth. Just work in one or the other.

But having said that I use both in my working life, really choosing whichever is easier to use at the time. I just don't convert.

apitkin · 23rd January 2006, 23:53

As a Brit temporarily exiled to the USA, I've got to be bilingual. Outside it's 28 degrees Fahrenheit - that just doesn't sound as cold as -2 Celsius, does it? At work I have to cope with pints, liters [sic], kilopascals, pounds (of weight), feet, meters [sic]. My car has a 2 litre (that's better) engine but a 12 gallon petrol tank.

When I went diving yesterday (OC - shock, horror!) I had two cylinders (sorry, tanks

); one gauge read in bar, one in psi. The water temperature was 75 degrees but because the spring was flowing so many @#$%^ millions of gallons a day it was such a hard swim I didn't get cold in my 7mm wetsuit, despite being in there for 2 hours. As it was only 17 feet deep, the neoprene didn't get compressed much. Of course, the 24 fl oz coffee I drank on the drive to the dive site helped!

Oh, how I wish you Americans would just get with the (metric) program!

lizardland · 24th January 2006, 09:03

Have a care for the Paddys, road distance signs in kilometres but speed limit signs in miles per hour.

I did think on my first trip to Canada that 110 was a very liberal speed limit and couldn't understand why everyone was surprised I did a four hour journey in two hours :-)

View Poll Results: Have you made the switch to Metric?
Still use Imperial metric is to confusing	9	11.69%
Would never switch to metric, its un-American	5	6.49%
Always used metric, imperial users are stuck in the dark ages	56	72.73%
Switched to metric so I can be like everyone else	0	0%
Switched to metric because it just makes more sense	7	9.09%
Voters: 77. You may not vote on this poll

23rd January 2006, 19:16	#21 (permalink)
decoweenie Crash Test Dummy Current Rebreather/s: Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Other CCR Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cairo Posts: 5,510	Re: How many switched to Metric Quote: (Originally Posted by onetime) You mean that whole decimal thing didn't die out in the rest of the world when the US school systems gave up on teaching it as it was too hard? Who'd have thought. I believe the Metric system was invented around 1700's, and the only reason Americans are using the Imperial system was because the Brits were too damn stubborn to accept it sooner... __________________ "...after a while you get bored offering advice to a bull that like to keep butting the fence with its head rather than walking through the open gate..." - Rebreather World PM
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23rd January 2006, 19:42	#22 (permalink)
Philippe GERIN ccr apprentice Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Classic Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: May 2005 Location: Strasbourg, France Posts: 634	Re: How many switched to Metric Quote: (Originally Posted by Janos) When at the bar, beer is by the pint, but spirits are by the litre. Well, mililitre anyway. Janos Hey, at the bar in Russia the habit is you buy spirit by weight: 50g or 100g of Vodka !! and it's never a short fill ! Best Philippe
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23rd January 2006, 19:58	#23 (permalink)
jont Custom Title Allowed! Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other Rebreather/s: Megalodon Prism Topaz Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: New York, NY USA Posts: 224	Re: How many switched to Metric there is no question that the metric system makes much more sense, is easier to use, and makes the math of diving more logical. However I have been to lazy to spend the hour it takes to grasp the metric system. Cheers Last edited by jont : 23rd January 2006 at 22:17.
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23rd January 2006, 19:59	#24 (permalink)
decoweenie Crash Test Dummy Current Rebreather/s: Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Other CCR Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cairo Posts: 5,510	Re: How many switched to Metric Quote: (Originally Posted by jont) The metric system is a system that predates the revolutionary war and should have beeen left there. It was proposed by the French in 1990, so just a few years after... __________________ "...after a while you get bored offering advice to a bull that like to keep butting the fence with its head rather than walking through the open gate..." - Rebreather World PM
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23rd January 2006, 20:00	#25 (permalink)
onetime Classic KISSer #138 Current Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: US, NJ Posts: 696	Re: How many switched to Metric Quote: (Originally Posted by decoweenie) I believe the Metric system was invented around 1700's, and the only reason Americans are using the Imperial system was because the Brits were too damn stubborn to accept it sooner... Who'd have thunk that Americans could be more stubborn than Brits? My comment was meant to be a little bit of a dig at our American educational system and the Americentric attitude all of us Americans tend to have (and some of us enjoy ).
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23rd January 2006, 20:42	#26 (permalink)
vidodivr swims in fishes toilets Current Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Florida/Michigan Posts: 503	Re: How many switched to Metric As I am reading the ANDI Inspiration manual, it is mostly written using the metric system, so I have been trying to switch over to metric. I use the mac and they have a cool unit converter as a dashboard widget and I just keep comparing the 2 and trying to memorize the basic round numbers and figuring out the math in between. I figured the rest of the world uses metric, I should too. Any pointers from you guys that made the switch to metric? Rob
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23rd January 2006, 22:05	#27 (permalink)
Philippe GERIN ccr apprentice Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Classic Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: May 2005 Location: Strasbourg, France Posts: 634	Re: How many switched to Metric Quote: (Originally Posted by vidodivr) Any pointers from you guys that made the switch to metric? Rob Rob, I found (me being a metric person and teaching recreational OC in imperial) that a good transition for an "imperial" person to metric (ft to m) is to use the yard as an approximation in order to "visualize" depth or distance for surface swims... That's the way I explain to some of the students who are curious about the metric system and it seems to work. My 2 hundreds of $ or £ or € or whatever you want. Best Philippe
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23rd January 2006, 23:33	#28 (permalink)
PeteS Consent Issued! Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Inspiration Vision Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: New Zealand Posts: 531	Re: How many switched to Metric Quote: (Originally Posted by vidodivr) As I am reading the ANDI Inspiration manual, it is mostly written using the metric system, so I have been trying to switch over to metric. I use the mac and they have a cool unit converter as a dashboard widget and I just keep comparing the 2 and trying to memorize the basic round numbers and figuring out the math in between. I figured the rest of the world uses metric, I should too. Any pointers from you guys that made the switch to metric? Rob Like all switches from anything to anything, it works best if you don't convert back and forth. Just work in one or the other. But having said that I use both in my working life, really choosing whichever is easier to use at the time. I just don't convert. __________________ Pete S. http://www.steggle.co.nz Every silver lining has a cloud
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23rd January 2006, 23:53	#29 (permalink)
apitkin New Member Current Rebreather/s: Prism Topaz Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cloud Cuckoo Land Posts: 102	Re: How many switched to Metric As a Brit temporarily exiled to the USA, I've got to be bilingual. Outside it's 28 degrees Fahrenheit - that just doesn't sound as cold as -2 Celsius, does it? At work I have to cope with pints, liters [sic], kilopascals, pounds (of weight), feet, meters [sic]. My car has a 2 litre (that's better) engine but a 12 gallon petrol tank. When I went diving yesterday (OC - shock, horror!) I had two cylinders (sorry, tanks ); one gauge read in bar, one in psi. The water temperature was 75 degrees but because the spring was flowing so many @#$%^ millions of gallons a day it was such a hard swim I didn't get cold in my 7mm wetsuit, despite being in there for 2 hours. As it was only 17 feet deep, the neoprene didn't get compressed much. Of course, the 24 fl oz coffee I drank on the drive to the dive site helped! Oh, how I wish you Americans would just get with the (metric) program!
(Online)

24th January 2006, 09:03	#30 (permalink)
lizardland Yak Current Rebreather/s: MK 15.X Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Home Build Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: North... Posts: 1,302	Re: How many switched to Metric Have a care for the Paddys, road distance signs in kilometres but speed limit signs in miles per hour. I did think on my first trip to Canada that 110 was a very liberal speed limit and couldn't understand why everyone was surprised I did a four hour journey in two hours :-) __________________ Can you imagine drifting along in the sea with your mouth open and a load of f***ing plankton going in? You'd like it, would you? www.westons-cider.co.uk Azerbaijani Association of Technical Divers Publicity Officer and Goat Wrangler
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