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From: dgary@ecsvax.UUCP (D Gary Grady)
Newsgroups: net.lang
Subject: Re: Standardization
Message-ID: <759@ecsvax.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 25-Feb-85 10:49:31 EST
Article-I.D.: ecsvax.759
Posted: Mon Feb 25 10:49:31 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 27-Feb-85 20:59:27 EST
References: <283@gumby.UUCP> <5125@tektronix.UUCP> <289@gumby.UUCP> <297@gumby.UUCP>, <6994@watdaisy.UUCP>
Organization: Duke U Comp Ctr
Lines: 21

<>
> Seems to me that both metres and litres are standards, though a litre is not
> quite exactly 1000 cc.

It used to be that a liter was defined to be the volume occupied by a
kilogram of water at a certain termperature (3.9 C?).  That made a liter
slightly different from 1000cc.  This was changed in the late 1960s so
that a liter IS now exactly 1000cc, to the best of my knowledge.  And,
by the way, an inch is EXACTLY 2.54cm now, and even the speed of light
is a defined constant conversion factor between meters and seconds!

However, the main point you're making I quite agree with.  It is
nonsense to suggest that there cannot be more than one standard.  If the
number proliferates one could reasonably argue that no true standard
exists, but to object to the existence of just two standards is, I
think, pointless.
-- 
D Gary Grady
Duke U Comp Center, Durham, NC  27706
(919) 684-3695
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