I just got another response on a Facebook group, In the UK they still use teeth per inch for scroll saw blade descriptions, so they haven't given up on Imperial measurement yet.

3 hours ago, JWD said:

 

 

Honestly, I think most of the appeal of the metric system is that it's easier to use when people are too lazy to write stuff down!   And we all know that's most of the time :D

Well, if Bill Boehme was still visiting he could tell us what NASA did, he retired from there. But in any case, we can agree to disagree...I've said my piece. But the US not going metric has left us with a mixed system...which is probably the worse thing we could have done.

From a automotive techs perspective it is wasteful. Having to keep a set of imperial and metric tools is expensive. Granted most vehicle these days are metric. Add on things like police and ambulance packages are still imperial.  

1 hour ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

Well, if Bill Boehme was still visiting he could tell us what NASA did, he retired from there. But in any case, we can agree to disagree...I've said my piece. But the US not going metric has left us with a mixed system...which is probably the worse thing we could have done.

Of course a first or second hand account would be better than our competing speculations.

 

There's nothing too awful about mixed systems, just a question of being used to it.  Duplication of tools is about the worst I've seen.  We can argue about leading to errors in conversion, but I would discount that due to being the result of  carelessness that is endemic to human nature anyway.  A poor conversion sure didn't blow up the Challenger after all, just careless decisions over what was important....

 

People don't want to be used to using either as appropriate, just as they do not want to get used to being forced into the one they don't like.  I've never seen the point of fighting over it, but I do enjoy poking a bit of fun at those who are die hard one way or the other, usually in proportion to how popular each side seems to be.  At the moment, I tend to poke more fun at the metric people.  But I still get a great deal of satisfaction from being able to use either one.

 

It's not as if a single world language or currency would be a desirable thing though, would it?  How 'bout a single world cuisine?  Not British on that one I hope!  Maybe a single sport for the entire world?  Lets hope it's not cricket, a very non-metric sport after all!

Yup . I still have my collection of standard and metric tools for when I used to work on my cars. Two sets of tools because you didn't know which set you would need to get the job done. Things seem to be moving more to metric these days.

 

5 hours ago, Wichman3 said:

I just got another response on a Facebook group, In the UK they still use teeth per inch for scroll saw blade descriptions, so they haven't given up on Imperial measurement yet.

Let's not forget that they still give their weight in stones, and probably their speed in furlongs per fortnight!

 

1 hour ago, Al B said:

Yup . I still have my collection of standard and metric tools for when I used to work on my cars. Two sets of tools because you didn't know which set you would need to get the job done. Things seem to be moving more to metric these days.

 

If you had an English vehicle, you would probably have had a set of Whitworth wrenches as well!

imperial all the way.  When I need high precision, I use the Old School Machine Tool  imperial system  in tenths,hundredths, thousandths, and  tenths of a thousandth denoted in 0.0000"

There are two kinds of people in the world.
Those who have been to the moon and those who use metrics 

19 hours ago, JWD said:

Of course a first or second hand account would be better than our competing speculations.

 

 Here you go John, NASA has chosen to go to the superior system...from their website (bold lettering added):

 

NASA metric transition planNASA science publications have used the metric system of measurement since 1970. Although NASA has maintained a metric use policy since 1979, practical constraints have restricted actual use of metric units. In 1988, an amendment to the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 required the Federal Government to adopt the metric system except where impractical. In response to Public Law 100-418 and Executive Order 12770, NASA revised its metric use policy and developed this Metric Transition Plan. NASA's goal is to use the metric system for program development and functional support activities to the greatest practical extent by the end of 1995. The introduction of the metric system into new flight programs will determine the pace of the metric transition. Transition of institutional capabilities and support functions will be phased to enable use of the metric system in flight program development and operations. Externally oriented elements of this plan will introduce and actively support use of the metric system in education, public information, and small business programs. The plan also establishes a procedure for evaluating and approving waivers and exceptions to the required use of the metric system for new programs. Coordination with other Federal agencies and departments (through the Interagency Council on Metric Policy) and industry (directly and through professional societies and interest groups) will identify sources of external support and minimize duplication of effort.

 

 

As I think about it any global endeavor like the ISS would require us to change instead of the balance of the world. I guess we could just collaborate with Liberia and Burma. (insert laughing emoji)

Edited August 30, 2025Aug 30 by Fred W. Hargis Jr

2 minutes ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

 Here you go John, NASA has chosen to go to the superior system...from their website (bold lettering added):

 

NASA metric transition planNASA science publications have used the metric system of measurement since 1970. Although NASA has maintained a metric use policy since 1979, practical constraints have restricted actual use of metric units. In 1988, an amendment to the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 required the Federal Government to adopt the metric system except where impractical. In response to Public Law 100-418 and Executive Order 12770, NASA revised its metric use policy and developed this Metric Transition Plan. NASA's goal is to use the metric system for program development and functional support activities to the greatest practical extent by the end of 1995. The introduction of the metric system into new flight programs will determine the pace of the metric transition. Transition of institutional capabilities and support functions will be phased to enable use of the metric system in flight program development and operations. Externally oriented elements of this plan will introduce and actively support use of the metric system in education, public information, and small business programs. The plan also establishes a procedure for evaluating and approving waivers and exceptions to the required use of the metric system for new programs. Coordination with other Federal agencies and departments (through the Interagency Council on Metric Policy) and industry (directly and through professional societies and interest groups) will identify sources of external support and minimize duplication of effort.

All after the moon landing program - which was my point.  Perhaps that is what you meant however.

 

To my way of thinking, one is not superior to the other, just two different ways of describing physical measurements.

 

I dealt with some professors who were extremely snooty about metric a few years ago, and they did not impress me in the least - not because of the metric, but because of the attitude that pervaded all their work.  The guy who impressed me was the machinist who was working for me at the time.  He said "what's the big deal?  One thou is just 25 microns, and you have 40 thou per mm, no problem."  Be able to work with either one and you are the "no problem" guy instead of the "do it my way" guy.  I can certainly tell you which one is more pleasant to work with!

I'm out of this post now, but I came across a ton of credible (not Utube stuff) that addressed NASA, the moon trips, and the measurement systems in use....it was all fairly interesting.

No problem Fred, no hard feelings I hope.  Spirited debate should never get in the way of friendships, whether they be in person or virtual!  It would be a dull world if we all agreed on everything.