Different Metric Systems

[chrispi]

Has anyone considered alternatives to the current Système International in their TLs?

For my "For Want of a Nail" (British North America) TL, I'm thinking about defining the International Foot or "Pied du Dieu" as the length light travels in one-billionth of a second (a nanosecond) and defining my International System of Ordinances (Iso) from there.

Anyone have any other ideas?

[David S Poepoe]

Unless one is a space faring race, in which the "the length light travels in one-billionth of a second" would be of some importance, I don't see why any nation would adopt a system which would be completely without precedence - unless there was a fantastic revolution lead by scientists. Not to mention the prolonged period of time of conversion and eventually phasing out the older systems.

I can see using 'light seconds' as a measure of distance etc. in realms where one is considering vast distances of space and incredible speeds with which to cross them - but in use on such programs as Mapquest or giving directions to the pharmacy down the road I don't see them very useful.

[chrispi]

1 foot (ft)= distance light travels in one thousand-millionth of a second (nanosecond) (.299792458 metres or 11.803 Old British inches.)

1 plate (pl)= 1 ft^2 (.08985518 m^2)

1 crate (cr)= 1 ft^3 (.02694400 m^3)

1 talent (tl)= the mass of a crate of purest water at standard temperature and pressure. (26.944 kg)

1 degree (°)= difference between the boiling and freezing temperatures of water at one atmosphere. 1 centdegree or degree-centigrade (°C)=1 hundredth of one degree unit=one degree Celsius.

[chrispi]

Originally Posted by David S Poepoe

Unless one is a space faring race, in which the "the length light travels in one-billionth of a second" would be of some importance, I don't see why any nation would adopt a system which would be completely without precedence - unless there was a fantastic revolution lead by scientists. Not to mention the prolonged period of time of conversion and eventually phasing out the older systems.

I can see using 'light seconds' as a measure of distance etc. in realms where one is considering vast distances of space and incredible speeds with which to cross them - but in use on such programs as Mapquest or giving directions to the pharmacy down the road I don't see them very useful.

The "foot" is a fundamental measure in virtually all cultures; the trouble lies in converting one nation's foot to another's! Take the famous misunderstanding about Napoleon's height; in old pieds du roi Nappy is 5'2". Short guy, right? NO. He would have measured 5'7" in British units, slightly taller than the average man of the day!

In timelines where the French Revolution is avoided, and the Metric System never formulated, there is still a need for scientists from all nations to have a common system of measure, a lingua franca if you will. The advantages are too great for it not to be devised.

With the happy discovery of the speed of light a fundamental constant is available to all. And, by happy coincidence, the distance light travels in a nanosecond is 11.803 of our inches!

[chrispi]

1 crate = 8 new gallons = 64 new pints
1 talent = 64 new pounds
1 new mile = 8 furlongs = 80 chains = 1760 yards =5280 ft (5193.25518 old feet) Mount Everest would measure 29520 ft.

[David S Poepoe]

I've been aware of the 'French foot' vs. 'English foot' measurement of Napoleon for quite some time and find the stereotyping of Napoleon humorous to say the least.

I don't doubt that a move will be made to standardize, tho I think it would be by whatever the dominant Nation/culture would be - as in English as the practical lingua franca of today. However, outside publications in scientific journals I don't see the everyday people embracing new formats of measurements without some disagreement.

Also I would consider the adoption of a universal measurement system, other than the likes of the metric system - or one being of relative recent discovery - as being cost prohibitive in the short term, no matter the benefits in the long term. Here locally there is always a terrible degree of dislike to create new telephone area codes because of the expense of businesses reprinting envelopes and various stationary with the new three digit code.

Perhaps it would be likely under an entirely integrated world economic system of trade and commerce.

[chrispi]

Originally Posted by David S Poepoe

I've been aware of the 'French foot' vs. 'English foot' measurement of Napoleon for quite some time and find the stereotyping of Napoleon humorous to say the least.

I don't doubt that a move will be made to standardize, tho I think it would be by whatever the dominant Nation/culture would be - as in English as the practical lingua franca of today. However, outside publications in scientific journals I don't see the everyday people embracing new formats of measurements without some disagreement.

Also I would consider the adoption of a universal measurement system, other than the likes of the metric system - or one being of relative recent discovery - as being cost prohibitive in the short term, no matter the benefits in the long term. Here locally there is always a terrible degree of dislike to create new telephone area codes because of the expense of businesses reprinting envelopes and various stationary with the new three digit code.

Perhaps it would be likely under an entirely integrated world economic system of trade and commerce.

I would argue to the contrary; just as globalization uses a lingua franca (English) it must also use a mensa franca (Metric.) Indeed, a common system of measurement must be used, for without it international trade would be bogged down in converting French inches to Saxon inches to British inches to Dutch inches and on and on and on...

[chrispi]

1 Foot

• 3 hands
• 12 inches
• 72 picas
• 432 points

1 Plate

• 9 palms
• 144 thumbnails (square inches)
• 5184 scribbles
• 186624 dots

1 Talent

• 4 stones
• 64 pounds
• 1600 ounces
• 8000 drams
• 1000000 spores

[chrispi]

One effect may be to have automobiles register speeds in feet/second rather than miles/hour as countries may have different miles.

Thus in Britain or America or Australia 60 mi/hr = 88 ft/s, whereas in France the mile is longer than the English by a fourth, so in France 60 mi/hr = 110 ft/s.

[chrispi]

1 section = 1 mi^2

• 64 square furlongs (decacres)
• 640 acres
• 6400 square chains
• 27878400 plates

[chrispi]

Today's value of a talent of gold.

Today's value of a talent of silver.

[DuQuense]

Accully the old English/roman System is a universal type system like to metric, except it is base 12

12 inch= 1 foot 12 foot= 1 rod 12 rod =1 chain 12 chain = 1 mile =1728 ft = old roman mile
1 onzce = 1 cubic inch of water 1 pint = 1 pound= 12 oz of water
12 pecks = 1 bushel 12 bushels = 1 barrel 12 barrels = 1 tun

[chrispi]

Originally Posted by DuQuense

Accully the old English/roman System is a universal type system like to metric, except it is base 12

12 inch= 1 foot 12 foot= 1 rod 12 rod =1 chain 12 chain = 1 mile =1728 ft = old roman mile
1 onzce = 1 cubic inch of water 1 pint = 1 pound= 12 oz of water
12 pecks = 1 bushel 12 bushels = 1 barrel 12 barrels = 1 tun

But then the old system got complicated. Now the rod is 16'6", the pound is 16 oz, the chain is 4 rods, etc. And the old roman mile is actually 5000 feet.

[DuQuense]

Acully to old sytem didn't get complicated- whe had New systems imposed on top, like liters for bottles and pounds for dry. this is why there are two oznces in use [gold is still measured with the 12 oz pound].

It would be possible to come up with a invented measure for a TL but why bother, you would have to spend half your TL re explaning your Measurements. this is why most SciFi authors don't bother, even if they are describing a Alien race who never heard of the English or the Metrric Systems.