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NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

This is the true reason metric is better. A lot of people think it’s inherently better for various reasons: it’s decimal and it’s based on the constants of nature. While nice, that doesn’t make it a better system.

The reason it’s a better system is that there has only ever been one metre, there has only ever been one litre, there has only ever been one kilogram. If you use any metric unit there is no ambiguity, there has never been ambiguity and there never will be ambiguity. There’s just one system.

For the imperial system and all of its branches and predecessors, that’s just not the case. The foot has had different measures, the mile has had different measures, the fl oz still has different measures as you noted. You can speak to someone and say some measure, they hear your exact words and interpret it as some different measures.

That’s the real problem with imperial, and that’s why metric was invented.

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Mac@mander.xyz ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

only ever been one kilogram

Nobody tell them

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- NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  I’m well aware that the units were redefined at various points, but the new definition was always nearly identical to the previous one. Everyday usage was never affected.
  
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pishadoot@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
Metric has its advantages but imperial does as well, primarily that the units of measure that humans generally interact with have more whole number factors than in metric, making it very easy to “work with.”

A foot is 12 inches, which has whole number factors of 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12. A yard is three feet.

So, it’s really easy to divide things into half, quarters, thirds, etc. Great for construction math, great for a lot of stuff.

I’m not saying that you can’t achieve the same end with metric. I’ve lived in many countries and I’m very familiar with both, and I know 333mm is pretty dang accurate if you want to divide a meter in thirds, but it’s not an exact measurement.

For most use I don’t think it really matters. Metric is a much “cleaner” system but imperial does have its advantages.

They both work. Nobody quibbles about which version of an oz you’re using in daily life. I bet most people don’t even know there’s different versions because it doesn’t make a difference in 99.9% of situations, and in situations where it does people know the differences.

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- uienia@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  No, none of that is true. You think it is easier to work with because it is what you are most used to. People who are only familiar with metric have absolutely no problem working with metric, and your “A foot is 12 inches, which has whole number factors of 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12. A yard is three feet” is basically goobledigook in that context.
  
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  - pishadoot@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    I’ve done years of construction with metric. I’m very familiar with it.
    
    I would counter your point that you are the one who is unfamiliar with imperial measures if it sounds like goobledigook to you. Yeah, it’s weird if you’re unfamiliar with it. But in practice it is easier to work with for many day to day applications for humans.
    
    You have to get used to it, same as folks that are familiar with imperial have to get used to metric. I would never say that metric is bad and if I had to choose one until I die I would probably choose metric due to the ways the different volume/length/mass measures align together, but they’re both fine. Even the advantage of the alignment in different areas practically never affects anyone in day to day living, even if it’s more elegant.
    
    This is a dumb hill for you to die on when you haven’t demonstrated actual experience to back your opinion, and I attribute it more to a superiority complex of some sort than a good argument.
    
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- kshade@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  If you really need that level of precision for some reason you can just write 1/3m as a fraction.
  
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  - pishadoot@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    Sure, but that doesn’t translate into real world as well, it doesn’t cleanly divide on a tape/calculator, which is what I was saying is an advantage.
    
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    kshade@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    But in the real world you probably don’t need more precision than 333.3 anyway.
    
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baines@lemmy.cafe ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
metric updates reference values sometimes as well

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blarghly@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
Iirc, metric was invented because french merchants and tax collectors couldnt agree on what their units of measure actually were. There were riots.

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