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11x17 at least gives a sense of dimensions (provided you recognize those as a standard imperial paper size). With the A series of paper sizes, most people know

11x17 at least gives a sense of dimensions (provided you recognize those as a standard imperial paper size). With the A series of paper sizes, most people know A4, then don't remember if sizes go up or down numerically.

to3m 11y ago
Not the case in the UK, I suspect, which is where I live - most people will be familiar with A3/A4/A5. They've been the standard for the past 50-odd years, and penetration of non-ISO paper sizes is approximately 0%. Until I followed the link, I didn't know 11x17 wasn't just a particular type of printer. And once I found out it was a paper size, I wondered how large it was, since I don't have a good feel for anything in inches once you get past the 12 that fit on a standard 30cm ruler. Which is why I posted :)
- twic 11y ago
  > Not the case in the UK, I suspect, which is where I live - most people will be familiar with A3/A4/A5. Exactly. A4 is for letters and documents, so it's everywhere, people know A5 from their exercise books at school, and will have used A3 for something at school, perhaps art or technical drawing. Beyond that, flipcharts are A1, and postcards are A6, although i suspect most people don't realise that. You don't see A2 much. I once came across a giant A0 flipchart pad, and immediately attempted to make a paper aeroplane from it. However, it's too thin relative to its size, so the plane collapsed.
jacques_chester 11y ago
This is one of those USA-vs-everyone-else things. If you grew up in the USA you're used to quoting paper size in inches. If you grew up anywhere else, you're familiar with at least A4 and A3 sizes from the ISO 216 standard. In case you're wondering, ISO 216 series of paper sizes begins with A0, which is exactly 1 square metre in area with an aspect ratio of 1:√2. The square root of 2 comes about because you produce A1 by cutting or folding A0 along the longest edge. A2 is produced by halving A1, A3 by halving A2 and so on down to A8.
- SyneRyder 11y ago
  > This is one of those USA-vs-everyone-else things. I don't think it's quite that simple. I was recently with a European friend who had ordered some prints, and she told the front counter she'd ordered A3 size. She knew that the prints she wanted were much smaller than a regular A4 page, and of course 3 is a smaller number than 4, so logically her small prints must be 'A3' size...

to3m 11y ago

Not the case in the UK, I suspect, which is where I live - most people will be familiar with A3/A4/A5. They've been the standard for the past 50-odd years, and penetration of non-ISO paper sizes is approximately 0%. Until I followed the link, I didn't know 11x17 wasn't just a particular type of printer. And once I found out it was a paper size, I wondered how large it was, since I don't have a good feel for anything in inches once you get past the 12 that fit on a standard 30cm ruler. Which is why I posted :)

twic 11y ago
> Not the case in the UK, I suspect, which is where I live - most people will be familiar with A3/A4/A5. Exactly. A4 is for letters and documents, so it's everywhere, people know A5 from their exercise books at school, and will have used A3 for something at school, perhaps art or technical drawing. Beyond that, flipcharts are A1, and postcards are A6, although i suspect most people don't realise that. You don't see A2 much. I once came across a giant A0 flipchart pad, and immediately attempted to make a paper aeroplane from it. However, it's too thin relative to its size, so the plane collapsed.

jacques_chester 11y ago

This is one of those USA-vs-everyone-else things. If you grew up in the USA you're used to quoting paper size in inches. If you grew up anywhere else, you're familiar with at least A4 and A3 sizes from the ISO 216 standard. In case you're wondering, ISO 216 series of paper sizes begins with A0, which is exactly 1 square metre in area with an aspect ratio of 1:√2. The square root of 2 comes about because you produce A1 by cutting or folding A0 along the longest edge. A2 is produced by halving A1, A3 by halving A2 and so on down to A8.

SyneRyder 11y ago
> This is one of those USA-vs-everyone-else things. I don't think it's quite that simple. I was recently with a European friend who had ordered some prints, and she told the front counter she'd ordered A3 size. She knew that the prints she wanted were much smaller than a regular A4 page, and of course 3 is a smaller number than 4, so logically her small prints must be 'A3' size...