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I'm not going to wade into the Esperanto debate, but I find it fascinating that so many countries use the Metric system except when they don't. In Germany for

by biztos 5y ago

I'm not going to wade into the Esperanto debate, but I find it fascinating that so many countries use the Metric system except when they don't. In Germany for instance almost everything is metric except (ironically?) for computers and televisions, you still measure your screen in Zoll (inches). And you see Pfund (pound) in markets but they normalized that to 500g long ago, so it's kinda-sorta in the system. I'm in Thailand right now and most things are in metric besides, again, computers and TVs -- 13" laptop, 27" monitor, 52" TV, etc -- but then, maddeningly for me, picture frames are usually measured in inches. So while you have DIN A4 and DIN A3 frames, because office paper uses DIN sizes AFAICT, it's really hard to find a 24x30cm or 30x40cm frame. And then there is the United Kingdom... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrication_in_the_United_Kingdom https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrication_in_the_United_King...

kergonath 5y ago
> In Germany for instance almost everything is metric except (ironically?) for computers and televisions, you still measure your screen in Zoll (inches). That’s the same thing in France, but I think it’s just a byproduct of so much of computer stuff coming from the US. Computer monitors tend to be informally measured in inches (though you have to provide the figure in cm as well), and television sets in cm. By the way, inches have been defined in terms of cm for quite a while now, so they are just a really annoying non-integer multiple of the cm. > And you see Pfund (pound) in markets but they normalized that to 500g long ago, so it's kinda-sorta in the system. That’s right, a (metric) pound is half a kilogram. That was defined in a decree by Napoleon in 1812 as a way for people to keep using old units names without giving up on the advantages of the metric system. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesures_usuelles https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesures_usuelles > picture frames are usually measured in inches. That’s just evil. > And then there is the United Kingdom... Yeah, can’t have that new fangled French thing. So now we buy milk in 2.272 l bottles. On the contrary, on the continent they are happy to sell you a pint of beer, but don’t expect an imperial pint.
- cycomanic 5y ago
  >On the contrary, on the continent they are happy to sell you a pint of beer, but don’t expect an imperial pint. Pints and beer measures are just hilarious. Australia is crazy they have pints, schooners, pots and ponies (and some others as well I think). The total craziness is that their size (and even order IIRC) is different in different states. Edit: link for clarification https://manofmany.com/lifestyle/drinks/beer-glass-sizes-in-australia-explained https://manofmany.com/lifestyle/drinks/beer-glass-sizes-in-a...
  - AdamN 5y ago
    One thing I noticed long ago when looking at opium paraphernalia in NY flea markets was how much flair people invest into their drug consumption. Alcohol is no different and damn I love a manhattan in a nice crystal low ball or an imperial pint of ale ...
- BrandoElFollito 5y ago
  > That’s the same thing in France I just checked and two of the three main stores (darty, boulanger) give the size in cm, with a convertion to inches. The third one (fnac) uses primarily inches.
AdamN 5y ago
I like the idea of a 'metric pound' at 500g. Definitely smart, similar to a 'metric ton'.
- marssaxman 5y ago
  Some people in the US work with a 'metric ounce' which is exactly 28 grams.

by biztos 5y ago

kergonath 5y ago

> In Germany for instance almost everything is metric except (ironically?) for computers and televisions, you still measure your screen in Zoll (inches). That’s the same thing in France, but I think it’s just a byproduct of so much of computer stuff coming from the US. Computer monitors tend to be informally measured in inches (though you have to provide the figure in cm as well), and television sets in cm. By the way, inches have been defined in terms of cm for quite a while now, so they are just a really annoying non-integer multiple of the cm. > And you see Pfund (pound) in markets but they normalized that to 500g long ago, so it's kinda-sorta in the system. That’s right, a (metric) pound is half a kilogram. That was defined in a decree by Napoleon in 1812 as a way for people to keep using old units names without giving up on the advantages of the metric system. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesures_usuelles https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesures_usuelles > picture frames are usually measured in inches. That’s just evil. > And then there is the United Kingdom... Yeah, can’t have that new fangled French thing. So now we buy milk in 2.272 l bottles. On the contrary, on the continent they are happy to sell you a pint of beer, but don’t expect an imperial pint.

cycomanic 5y ago
>On the contrary, on the continent they are happy to sell you a pint of beer, but don’t expect an imperial pint. Pints and beer measures are just hilarious. Australia is crazy they have pints, schooners, pots and ponies (and some others as well I think). The total craziness is that their size (and even order IIRC) is different in different states. Edit: link for clarification https://manofmany.com/lifestyle/drinks/beer-glass-sizes-in-australia-explained https://manofmany.com/lifestyle/drinks/beer-glass-sizes-in-a...
- AdamN 5y ago
  One thing I noticed long ago when looking at opium paraphernalia in NY flea markets was how much flair people invest into their drug consumption. Alcohol is no different and damn I love a manhattan in a nice crystal low ball or an imperial pint of ale ...
BrandoElFollito 5y ago
> That’s the same thing in France I just checked and two of the three main stores (darty, boulanger) give the size in cm, with a convertion to inches. The third one (fnac) uses primarily inches.

AdamN 5y ago

I like the idea of a 'metric pound' at 500g. Definitely smart, similar to a 'metric ton'.

marssaxman 5y ago
Some people in the US work with a 'metric ounce' which is exactly 28 grams.