News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:Gimli Glider by auxym on Sunday December 18, 2016 @07:59PM (#13208724)
Only 3 countries in the entire world have not adopted SI units.
Re:Gimli Glider by techdragon on Monday December 19, 2016 @12:29AM (#13209650)
Actually Liberia and Myanmar have been converting to Metric, so the USA is likely the last place where people are not being taught Metric. Unless it's improved and Metric is being taught in American schools?
Re:Gimli Glider by khedoros1 on Monday December 19, 2016 @02:16AM (#13209979)
My science education, at least in secondary school, was all in metric. I graduated from high school in 2003. The issue is that it isn't used here in everyday life, so it becomes "that weird thing from science [which I already disliked because of the math]".

I've done experiments switching to metric. It's not a good idea to rely on my GPS for speed limit information. My home thermostat apparently doesn't have a Celsius setting (and would confuse my wife if it did). It's difficult, but mostly possible to switch here...but what's the point? It's a lot of work for comparatively little benefit.

Re:Gimli Glider by learc83 on Monday December 19, 2016 @12:42AM (#13209687)
Metric has been taught in most American schools since the 70s. Nearly everyone here learned it at some point, but most people don't use it day to day, so they don't think in it.
Re:Gimli Glider by Shivetya on Monday December 19, 2016 @05:19AM (#13210560)
yeah but its not like its pushed much outside of chemistry. my niece and nephew have learned less about it than I did over thirty years ago.

it simply is not a priority, it could be slowly slipped into prominence by emphasizing the measurements on everyday items instead of making those in small print

Re:Gimli Glider by learc83 on Monday December 19, 2016 @01:54PM (#13213907)
>yeah but its not like its pushed much outside of chemistry

Every science class I had in high school used metric. We also spent a fair amount of time going through it in elementary and middle school math classes.

My younger sister (by 20 years) spent a good deal of time on the metric system in her math classes.

Re:Gimli Glider by knowaveragejoe on Monday December 19, 2016 @02:18AM (#13209989)
I was taught metric and its merits over other systems in public school, but I'm sure it varies across the country.
Re:Gimli Glider by rmc on Monday December 19, 2016 @04:26AM (#13210387)
In theory the UK is fully metric. In practice isn't not.
Re:Gimli Glider by patall on Monday December 19, 2016 @06:53AM (#13210858)
It is the same in Canada. F.e. Supermarkets advertise the price per pound (presumptively because it is smaller)
Re:Gimli Glider by Symbiote on Monday December 19, 2016 @07:21AM (#13210937)
American influence on Canada means they have oven temperatures in Fahrenheit, recipes in cups, American paper sizes, furniture and buildings in inches etc.

Britain has all of this in metric; the beer, road signs and casual (non-medical) body measurements are the only exceptions.

Re:Gimli Glider by jwalton on Monday December 19, 2016 @11:27AM (#13212470)
Ontario build code is hilarious. For example, table 9.23.10.1 specified the size and spacing of studs in walls. For interior walls, the maximum stud spacing is 406mm on center, and minimum stud size is 38x38mm.

If you didn't know this was 16" on center, and 2x2 framing, you'd think some mad drunk person had come up with these numbers. I also like to imagine building inspectors walking into a building and saying "Oh, these studs are 407mm apart. Tear the building down."

Re:Gimli Glider by tonyarkles on Tuesday December 20, 2016 @12:18PM (#13221777)
And in official government communication, it is nominally metric, but you'll see things in e.g. building codes like "hallways must have a width exceeding 914mm", which is really just 3 feet.