There is no architectural precedent for Metric units whatever. Metric is well suited - for wrenches.

Metric....Metric.....Metric once you go metric you'll understand how backwards american units are.

..... once you go metric you'll understand how backwards america is...

This is the first that I've heard them specifically called "american" units. Wouldn't it be properly called "imperial" or "english" units. We did borrow them from over there.

My only preference for mesuring in feet and inches is that the units anthropometrically correspond.

maybe, but you need a sharp blow to the head to actually make proper calculations.

bots is right i'm afraid. even the poms have seen the light....get with the program already.

I prefer metric though I would say Fahrenheit is superior to Centigrade in terms of indicating outdoor air temperature (other than that whole freezing being 32 rather than 0 thing). It's pretty easy to know what to expect when you hear it's going to be in the 30's, 40's, 50's, and so on as opposed to 1's, 10's and 20's in celcius which represents a much wider range of temperatures.

i like imperial even though i grew up with metric system.
my boots are 11-7/8" L doubling as a tape measure. for cabinet or detail dimensions, i use my hand which strech 9".
i really dislike milimeters and centimeters for some reason. meters and kilometers are okay. if i want to get a feel for some metric dim, i translate it to feet and inches.
imperial system so deeply integrated in this country, it would be monumental and billionic effort to change it. just imagine adjusting all the machinery to fabricate in metric. tip of the iceberg..
it is not hard at all to know both.

I think that part of the reason the units are being called "american" is because I believe this is the only country which doesn't use metric.

Like when counting my money: whole numbers rather than fractions.

I never thought about manufacturing and the complexities of changing. For the most part aren't all autos now in metric since so many parts are foreign made?

Personally I think the toughest switch would be in construction. Can you imagine telling some laborer to start measuring in meters and centimeteres. They would never go for it.

I don't think imperial is that difficult. Strange yes, but tough, no. If someone asked me how many feet are in a mile it just rolls off my tounge without a thought - 5280 feet sir!

'A' you've tipped your hand. "...since so many parts are foreign made?" so when you say 'foreign' you mean 'somewhere other than the US'? thats a disturbing world view you have there.

Colm has it right. Your money is already metric...give in to it!!!!

having worked in both I do enjoy metric - really works well when scaling things. However, a fraction is inherently more percise than a decimal. 3/16 or .1875? Does it matter in construction to be that percise?

Main Entry: for·eign
Pronunciation: 'for-&n, 'fär-
Function: adjective

1 : situated outside a place or country; especially : situated outside one's own country

do you think there's a difference in the proportions each system encourages? sumbliminal effects of standard proportions ingrained in our experience of space...
To what extent do we (or did we , before dem furinners came in) LIVE metric or standard? is it possible to develop a resonace for one or the other..?

IIRC, strictly speaking, the number of decimal places determines (intended) precision. so for 3 places, you should round to .188

aren't you actually making a point about fractions that "can convert" to only repeating decimals? for example, 1/3 = 0.3{format 3 with an "overscore"}


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Metric....Metric.....Metric once you go metric you'll understand how backwards american units are.

Absolutely true. inches and feet and the 1/8-based scale increase % of errors.