In my head I can easily visualize an inch, a foot or a yard. I can't even begin to tell you how far 100 cm is. I know that 25 feet is a small plane, but I couldn't tell you if 25 meters is big or small. I look at plans done in Europe and it says 1025 for a measure. 1025 what? Pounds? Feet? Meters? Millimeters? Thanks, but I'll stick to a measure that is clearly stated. By the way, Canada has been on the metric system for tne last 25 years. I still can't tell you how much 355 grams is.
I understand your point, Otterkins. But the fact that you're used to it and not to metric doesn't mean it makes any more sense.
My impression is that the imperial system was based on practical every-day measurements (one foot for example... wonder where they found that word) which are no longer really used. And the ratio between units, you will have to admit, is a tad complex.
But then, if it works alright, you might as well keep it. This way, we can also keep making silly jokes about it as well.
The Imperial system makes no sense at all. One foot. Whose? Mine? Yours? King Henry VIII's? A yard. What's a yard? Is it my front lawn? Irrespective of how senseless the system is it's what a lot of us grew up with. Yes metric makes more sense. Yes it's a lot easier to learn a system valued on a base of 10's. However, if you can't visualise the physical base unit it is totally illogical to use it no matter how rational the system is. Go ahead and poke fun at me Gammy, but I have to work with what I know and understand. How am I supposed to figure this out? I have absolutely no idea what these dimensions relate to. They could be furlongs for all I know.
Once, I had to read an old book about the Russian Revolution (in Russian no less!). Besides the difficulty getting past all of the colloquialisms, one also had to deal with the old pre-revolutionary measurements.
Well. I guess I'm done doing that now. Anyway, I don't mind your using the metric system as long as you don't point it in my direction. Thing might be loaded and blow my foot off (i.e. my foot, not Henry VIII's).
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