[meatwad]

I understand that for the people on the USA it's not unusual to talk about 1/32, 1/16, 3/33, 5/8 and so, and use it as easily as 10, 50, 100, and 700, but for for countries where no fractional system of any kind is used in a mainstream manner it's just not "natural",

Fractions may not be _natural_ to you, BUT they are an important, AND a perfect representation. _exact_ numbers can _not_ always be represented in decimal form.

For example _see pic_

[Walky]

Fractions may not be _natural_ to you, BUT they are an important, AND a perfect representation. _exact_ numbers can _not_ always be represented in decimal form.

For example _see pic_

I use and understand both, I was talking in a general, world integration sense. I understand your point, and agree that we can't get rid of fractions. What I mean is that having two parallel standards for virtually every application is not really needed, which is why I said that imperial would still need to exist, just not at the current level.

It's still hard for the "average metric Joe" to visualize 3/32"; it's not just about the fractions themselves as one may think, it's mostly because the basic unit (one inch) is completely different. Consider that in the USA people grow up surrounded by both systems (one more than the other, but both), while in other countries the average person doesn't even have an idea of how long an inch is. If an inch was, say, 100mm, it would be way easier to visualize for the metric Joe. It would be nice to take the decimeter or even the centimeter as the "new inch", allowing things like "5/8 of a centimeter", it won't happen, but it would be nice and would integrate both systems. If imperial use were more extended than metric I would say "get rid of metric."

[Geof]

.... allowing things like "5/8 of a centimeter",....

When you work regularly in both systems that one is easy. Something like 25/64 of a centimeter takes a few seconds of thinking.

The whole issue of changing to metric from imperial certainly ruffles feathers. Here in Canada when the change was implemented back in the 1970's all the ignorant old farts and fartesses crawled out of the woodwork. Some of them became politicians and as a vote buying tactic cancelled the completion of the change which would have seen metric the only legal form of measure. Now both are legal and you have the ridiculous situation of buying 19mm plywood in four feet by eight feet sheets.