Re: [skydiverek] New Speed Skydiving record

[mathrick 2]

Americans can learn proper units like the rest of the world.

"Skydivers are highly emotional people. They get all excited about their magical black box full of mysterious life saving forces."

[nolhtairt 0]

mathrick

Americans can learn proper units like the rest of the world.

My answer to THAT is:

There are those around the world that uses the metric system. Then there is the one country that has put man on the moon without it.

[mxk 1]

nolhtairt

***Americans can learn proper units like the rest of the world.

My answer to THAT is:

There are those around the world that uses the metric system. Then there is the one country that has put man on the moon without it.


Yep, and a Mars Climate Orb... On, no, wait... Not that one.

[GoneCodFishing 23]

nolhtairt

Then there is the one country that has put man on the moon without it.

Ahem... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer

All calculations and data storage were in metric apparently

[JerryBaumchen 1,048]

Hi nolhtairt,

Quote

Then there is the one country that has put man on the moon without it.

As mentioned, that would be incorrect.

This counjtry needs to get on board with the metric system, a far better system.

You should try it and see what you think of it.

Jerry Baumchen

[Labrat 0]

In science, it's all metric. American is falling behind in science education. I think history will judge the great accomplishment will be the Mars landing. If we continue on this course, China will claim that prize.

[Bob_Church 7]

I can use either system, and make conversions on the fly, but I don't like Celsius for temperature. I prefer the higher precision of Fahrenheit.

[DanG 1]

Quote

In science, it's all metric.

In science, yes. In engineering it's a mixed bag.

I understand the reluctance to change. I can rattle off tons of pertinent numbers in English units that relate to my field. I haven't memorized any SI values because I hardly ever use them.

- Dan G

[CygnusX-1 42]

You learn something every day here on DZ.com. I did not realize that Celsius was not exact or even accurate. Who'd a thunk it?

Quote

(From Google:)

pre·ci·sion
noun
the quality, condition, or fact of being exact and accurate.

[mathrick 2]

nolhtairt

***Americans can learn proper units like the rest of the world.

My answer to THAT is:

There are those around the world that uses the metric system. Then there is the one country that has put man on the moon without it.



NASA and the military have been metric since the '50s or so. The one time Lockheed retardedly made components in non-metric units, it crashed an expensive Mars orbiter, because NASA's specification was metric.

"Skydivers are highly emotional people. They get all excited about their magical black box full of mysterious life saving forces."

[mathrick 2]

Fahrenheit has bullshit anchor points though. Knowing that 0 is when water freezes is much more relatable than having 32 denote "freezing". If I want precision, I can just use fractions of a degree, but in daily life, that precision is unnecessary or sometimes even worked around, like my car A/C which has settings every 2°F.

"Skydivers are highly emotional people. They get all excited about their magical black box full of mysterious life saving forces."

[mathrick 2]

CygnusX-1

You learn something every day here on DZ.com. I did not realize that Celsius was not exact or even accurate. Who'd a thunk it?

Quote

(From Google:)

pre·ci·sion
noun
the quality, condition, or fact of being exact and accurate.

Or the common meaning of "resolution", which is rather obviously what was. Although I'd argue it's more of fake precision than actual.

"Skydivers are highly emotional people. They get all excited about their magical black box full of mysterious life saving forces."

[wasatchrider 0]

JerryBaumchen

Hi nolhtairt,

Quote

Then there is the one country that has put man on the moon without it.

As mentioned, that would be incorrect.

This counjtry needs to get on board with the metric system, a far better system.

I knew we never went to the moon!

You should try it and see what you think of it.

Jerry Baumchen

BASE 1519

[DanG 1]

Why is the number 0 more relateable than the number 32? They are both just points on the number line.

If you want to make a argument for a more logical temperature scale, you should go with Kelvin or Rankine. They both start at zero, but the spacing between whole number degrees after that is arbitrary.

- Dan G

[DanG 1]

Quote

NASA and the military have been metric since the '50s or so.

Hardly. NASAs specs are generally SI, but US military specs contain a mix of SI and English.

Quote

The one time Lockheed retardedly made components in non-metric units, it crashed an expensive Mars orbiter, because NASA's specification was metric.

I speak from experience when I say Lockheed makes stuff to English units every single day. The mishap you're referring to was because English and SI units were mixed. That was retarded. But as long as you use the systems consistently there is nothing that makes one inherently less "retarded".

- Dan G

[Bob_Church 7]

I don't know where google got that definition for precision but I hope you didn't pay anything for it.

[Bob_Church 7]

It's always hard to tell when you just like something more because it's what you've always used, but I've even talked to people who grew up using the metric system who prefer the increased number of degrees of F over using a percentage point in C. This seems especially true for people with jobs where they work with people a lot, lawyers versus engineers for instance. It's like the current debate over the woman with ebola in England. Part of the argument is over whether her fever was 32.7 or 32.5, which to me just sounds too close to call, but you probably hear a huge difference.

[GoneCodFishing 23]

Bob_Church

Part of the argument is over whether her fever was 32.7 or 32.5, which to me just sounds too close to call, but you probably hear a huge difference.

Whereas if we were talking Fahrenheit it's cristal clear when you say 90.5 against 90.86?

[mathrick 2]

DanG

Why is the number 0 more relateable than the number 32? They are both just points on the number line.

If you want to make a argument for a more logical temperature scale, you should go with Kelvin or Rankine. They both start at zero, but the spacing between whole number degrees after that is arbitrary.

It's more relatable because "is water freezing?" is a huge concern to us, water-based lifeforms. That's why people specifically talk about it being freezing or not. And having that clearly marked by the origin point makes it very clear that -1 is qualitatively different from +1, unlike 30 vs 33. For that reason Kelvin / Rankine scales are not at all appropriate for everyday use, because it completely obscures the important (to us) difference between 272 and 274. Now, if you're talking superconductors, picking absolute zero as your origin makes perfect sense, and is indeed done as a matter of fact.

"Skydivers are highly emotional people. They get all excited about their magical black box full of mysterious life saving forces."

[mathrick 2]

Bob_Church

It's always hard to tell when you just like something more because it's what you've always used, but I've even talked to people who grew up using the metric system who prefer the increased number of degrees of F over using a percentage point in C. This seems especially true for people with jobs where they work with people a lot, lawyers versus engineers for instance. It's like the current debate over the woman with ebola in England. Part of the argument is over whether her fever was 32.7 or 32.5, which to me just sounds too close to call, but you probably hear a huge difference.

For everyday life, the difference of 1 degree is too small to have an accurate feel for either way. You don't *need* the resolution, as demonstrated by thermostats usually being scaled every other °F. And if you actually care about the fever (also, did you mean 35.2 vs 37.2? Because 32.7°C is marked hypothermia for a human), you're going to have a completely different feel you develop for those specific ranges and resolutions. Same way you develop a feel for the difference in canopy sizes, and can clearly grasp that the difference between 67 and 74 is probably bigger than between 220 and 240.

"Skydivers are highly emotional people. They get all excited about their magical black box full of mysterious life saving forces."

[Bob_Church 7]

the fever (also, did you mean 35.2 vs 37.2? Because 32.7°C

I was quoting the article from memory, bad idea. But I remember the F numbers made more sense to me than the C.