Re: Charles Stross, GLASSHOUSE

tmcd@xxxxxxxxx (Tim McDaniel) wrote in
news:e9er41$q9r$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:

You asserted that one reason why the US has not gone fully metric
was because "the units ... don't have anything to do with the
rhythms of human life". That same reason would apply with equal
force anywhere that humans live, yet all the world has gone metric
except the US and a few other countries.

....to varying degrees.

My understanding is that the UK still uses miles, mph, and pints, and
informally weighs itself in stones.

My experience in Canada is that conversion is incomplete. Signs are
in metric, but people talk sometimes in English/Imperial, and stuff
that isn't mandated by the State is often given in English (ie, real
estate ads almost always are given in acres, not hectares).

I have read that in Japan, at least some industries continue to use
their traditional system of measurement.

The reason that the US has not gone fully metric is that there's no
pressing reason to do so. The parts that most frequently deal with
the rest of the world *have* gone more or less fully metric, and
there's little reason to upset voters by changing all the road signs
or forcing grocery stores to use measurements their customers don't
want.

--
Jim Battista
A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man.
.

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