On Sun, 22 Feb 2004 19:48:34 GMT, Jim K wrote:
What many people forget is that metric isn't based on anything more
accurate than English measurements are. They laugh when they say a
yard is from nose to fingers or a foot is a, well, foot.

A 1 ten millionth (or whatever) fraction of the earth's circumference
surely isn't any more accurate?

No we havent forgotten it. In fact I tell my students all the time about the original basis for the meter. Thats not the piont. The point is how all the different units
fit together in a simple and logical system. If you just want to use a single unit by itself, it makes no difference if you callet it inch meter och gooddlely. But is
there any sence in having a multitude of different units for length inch, foot, yard, mile, and so on. Lets stick to one (meter). (Dont tell me millimeters and meters
are different units, they are not)
What annoys me is that bicycles have a few inch units in them still, meaning I have to get an extra set of taps and dies (metal content)
Henning