Yeah, my comments are tongue in cheek. I realize the metric system is
far
and away simpler, yet when you've grown up with the inch system, it's not
all that easy to convert. It's also not easy to relate to sizes.

I was raised in the Imperial system in Canada. Moved to Australia just in
time to get caught up in the change to the metric system. Just got my head
around it comfortaby,and got transfered to the Fiji Islands which was still
Imperial measurements. About 2 years into my tour of duty, they changed to
the metric system. Spent the last twenty five years back in Australia in the
metric system. Now that I've retired, I work as a volenteer restorer in a
science and technology museum, and yes, most of the stuff I work on is 80
years old and is all Imperail measurement.

I just wish they'd make up their bloody minds


Tom



I always
convert (mentally) to something I know. I relate the meter to a yard,
and
the millimeters to 35 MM film. Helps me put size in perspective.

Easy ! 25 mm is the width of your thumb. A litre is about an American
quart( Not an Imperial quart)
All engineering measurements are done in metres or millimetres. Centimetres
is for measuring cloth or some other domestic stuff but not engineering.

A ltire of beer weighs about a kilogram.

Everthing else is minor detail.



Many of us have heavily invested in measuring tools and machine tools that
aren't the least metric friendly, myself included. I'm so comfortable
with the inch system that it's a huge PITA to do anything metric.

Some of the world greatest inventions are the digital vernier and
micrometer. The push of a button gives either system




When I
do, I always convert to the decimal system (in inches) which makes far
more
sense to me. Armed with that, you can clearly see that I, too, use the
metric system after a fashion (base ten, anyway).

Harold