Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!seismo!kitty!larry
From: larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman)
Newsgroups: sci.misc
Subject: Re: metric system
Message-ID: <1921@kitty.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 9-Aug-87 13:57:17 EDT
Article-I.D.: kitty.1921
Posted: Sun Aug  9 13:57:17 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 9-Aug-87 22:37:19 EDT
References: <238@etn-rad.UUCP> <1154@gryphon.CTS.COM>
Distribution: sci.misc
Organization: Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, NY
Lines: 40
Summary: kPa is here to stay...

In article <1154@gryphon.CTS.COM>, richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) writes:
> I lived in Canadia between '76 and '79 when it was all metric. You'd
> be surprised how easy it is to adapt to the metric system. It really is
> nice.
> 
> BUT! Kilopascals ? Gimme a break. 32 psi I can handle, but 450 Kilopascals or
> .450 or whatever. Uh-uh.

	I too was surprised how the Pascal, kPA and MPa has replaced the
traditional metric units for pressure - such as dyne/cm2 and kg/cm2 - that
I learned in college and worked with for a number of years.
	However, it appears that the Pascal and related units are here to
stay.  As an interesting example, my organization developed some computer
controlled test instrumentation for a division of General Motors several
years ago, and GM had developed a number of standards and specifications
to which all vendors had to comply; these included the following:

1.	All calculations, algorithms and internal tables are to be done in
	metric.  Period.

2.	Operator-entered input must be English or metric, based upon
	selection of operator.

3.	Output must be available both as English and metric, with the
	selection to be by operator.

4.	The kPa was the official GM metric unit for pressure, and no one
	wanted to hear about kg/cm2 or dyne/cm2.

	According to the above GM guidelines, data entered in English was
converted to metric units, calculated, reconverted to English, and then
displayed.
	While I have a "feeling" for kg/cm2, I have grown used to kPA.  As
an example, it is easy to remember than normal atmospheric pressure is
slightly less than 100 kPa.

<>  Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, New York
<>  UUCP:  {allegra|ames|boulder|decvax|rutgers|watmath}!sunybcs!kitty!larry
<>  VOICE: 716/688-1231       {hplabs|ihnp4|mtune|seismo|utzoo}!/
<>  FAX:   716/741-9635 {G1,G2,G3 modes}   "Have you hugged your cat today?"