Metric versus Imperial System for Diving?

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I'm not opposed to it. I especially like it for diving. So, bring it on brother! I'll raise you 1 km to your 250 m.
1250 metres, thanks :tongue:

---------- Post added October 24th, 2014 at 07:51 PM ----------

Didn't you just describe the American experience also? For American's the metric system is mostly a humorous footnote, unless they travel to an effected area at which point it becomes a minor inconvenience, other than that, they really don't care.
Unless your American wants to do science. Or do some useful calculations with any meaningful measurements.
 
And yes, academic interest is a very good reason. You don't want your country to have a disadvantage in the global academic and scientific communities, or do you?

You seem to miss the point again, that Americans especially in the academic and scientific communities can use both systems. I don;t know of any scientist who can't figure out the metric system, again for about the 10 time, it's not rocket science.
 
You seem to miss the point again, that Americans especially in the academic and scientific communities can use both systems. I don;t know of any scientist who can't figure out the metric system, again for about the 10 time, it's not rocket science.
Yes exactly. Why use two systems? The metric system is indispensable for scientific needs. The imperial system isn't indispensable for anything. Why stick to it?
 
Right, which brings us to the second part of my question. Children are a blank slate. Why are you opposed to making things easier for them and generations to come? Is it because it would inconvenience you personally?

Well first off, I'm not opposed, I could careless. All of you seem to be very concerned with America and making us use the metric system, the vast majority of Americans could give a rats ass about it. As for being easier is the only answer to the question of why, obviously the ease of the metric system wasn't enough of a factor for us to change over. If you dig around I bet you can uncover why it didn't happen, and it had little to do with the kiddies or making things easy on them.

Hard to believe America became the world power it is with the kiddies having such difficult things forced on them like not using the metric system for the last 238 years!
 
I had no problems using the metric system in science class, where it was standard and the units were basically math on paper, or measured on in a lab. Interestingly, this did not lead me to switch to metric in daily civilian life, where pounds, feet, yards, miles and gallons still rule.

Metric seems mainly useful for conversions. And most people in regular day-to-day civilian life don't do a lot of complex conversions where the difference matters much.

For divers, I think Kevrumbo's tank volume calculations are a potential benefit, but I wonder what % of non-tech. recreational divers on what % of dives try to mathematically calculation out gas volumes for a given depth as part of their planning?

Not for everyone, but for many of us, metric remains a good solution to a problem most of us don't have.

Richard.

---------- Post added October 24th, 2014 at 07:03 PM ----------

The imperial system isn't indispensable for anything. Why stick to it?

Because we're already fluent in it and it's most familiar and comfortable for so many of us. Most people aren't scientists.

As for what the rest of the world is doing vs. the U.S. and whoever, by the same conformity logic, wouldn't it make the world a better place if all non-English speaking countries converted to English? Just think of a world where everyone could talk to each other!

If a new country arose today, with no history in either system, and it were up to me, I'd choose metric. But trying for force everyone here to switch when they clearly don't want to is, well, un-American. At least it used to be. The way the country's going today, I'm not so sure that's as true as it once was.

Richard.
 
Well first off, I'm not opposed, I could careless.
Ah, well if you could care less, then you must care quite a bit.

Hard to believe America became the world power it is with the kiddies having such difficult things forced on them like not using the metric system for the last 238 years!
Considering that your world power is #21 in the world's education index, behind Armenia, Korea and Cuba, perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad idea...
 
You seem to miss the point again, that Americans especially in the academic and scientific communities can use both systems. I don;t know of any scientist who can't figure out the metric system, again for about the 10 time, it's not rocket science.

I think most scientists and engineers here in the US use metric in their everyday work. The fact that they use imperial on the outside is of no consequence. After all, didn't they grow up with the system! I get DFX's point. Having to use fractions is a PITA.
 
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I had no problems using the metric system in science class, where it was standard and the units were basically math on paper, or measured on in a lab. Interestingly, this did not lead me to switch to metric in daily civilian life, where pounds, feet, yards, miles and gallons still rule.

Metric seems mainly useful for conversions. And most people in regular day-to-day civilian life don't do a lot of complex conversions where the difference matters much.

For divers, I think Kevrumbo's tank volume calculations are a potential benefit, but I wonder what % of non-tech. recreational divers on what % of dives try to mathematically calculation out gas volumes for a given depth as part of their planning?

Not for everyone, but for many of us, metric remains a good solution to a problem most of us don't have.

Richard.

---------- Post added October 24th, 2014 at 07:03 PM ----------



Because we're already fluent in it and it's most familiar and comfortable for so many of us. Most people aren't scientists.

As for what the rest of the world is doing vs. the U.S. and whoever, by the same conformity logic, wouldn't it make the world a better place if all non-English speaking countries converted to English? Just think of a world where everyone could talk to each other!

If a new country arose today, with no history in either system, and it were up to me, I'd choose metric. But trying for force everyone here to switch when they clearly don't want to is, well, un-American. At least it used to be. The way the country's going today, I'm not so sure that's as true as it once was.

Richard.

You're absolutely right, however, another way to look is it is everybody starts off as a recreational diver. If you learn to dive using the metric system, it will make it easier if you decide you want to get into technical diving. As I said in my earlier post, in the UK some of the older generations still use imperial units but none of them struggle when learning to dive with metric units as they work so well for simple diving calculations.
 
Once again . . .what is so difficult about working with multiples or percentages of ONE???



No one is saying it's difficult, for ***ks sake!
Not a single ***king person in this thread has said that.
Not one.

Hopefully you can see the simplicity of working with those "multiples of one" and give your rants a rest? We get it. Really. We're all very impressed that you've memorized your "ones timestables" like the other 2nd graders. You're a very good boy. Now, have a cookie and go watch some TV.
 
None, until you have to add 37/64 of an inch to 5/8 of an inch.

1 13/64 (I think), or a tiny hair over 1 3/16. This took about 10 seconds done in my head, and I just swallowed an ativan after a hot bath. Bad tinnitus day. one of those souvenirs I wish I could have left in country.

Not close enough for calculating long range space trajectory, but few things are, and this is close enough for most purposes. Easy peasy, and it gives one a finer appreciation of the magical connections between fractions and numbers in general than you get from a one times table.

It's like double clutching an old MG. there are infinitely smoother ways to go, but nothing as deeply satisfying. if you prefer an automatic transmission that's fine, but if you can't handle a clutch you have lost something rare and precious.
 
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