Editing Encyclopedia:Measurements Debate (section)

==Value of inch-pound units in Wikipedia==
:'''Value of inch-pound units in Wikipedia''':Despite the superiority of the metric system, the world's largest economy, with the great majority of internet users, uses the metric system only in limited ways.  I tried to lay out some reasonable rules:
:* For common weights and measures, animal sizes and the like, give both, but don't bother with going to decimal places on most conversions, unless precision is an issue, such as the area of Paris, Texas.  
:* For things that are always metric, give metric
:* For things that are always inch-pound, give inch-pound

:I am familar with the metric system and its merits (except for temperature, where I think for measurements in everyday life Fahrenheit rules), but I have a hard time making the conversions in my head (except, ironically, for temperature). Obviously, in the Wikipedia, if a writer doesn't put in the "other" measurement, someone else will probably come along and do it, but it would be irresponsible and a disservice to readers to state in the style guide "metric is always preferred".  

:And, anyway, one measurement is better than none.  There are still lots of articles with no measurements given at all, [[Hummingbird]]s for instance, are famous for being small, but we give no dimensions at all. [[User:Ortolan88|Ortolan88]]


::The US econony is not larger than the economy of the rest of the World.

::* Giving both is fair enough.  Give conversions to the same degree of precision.
::* For things that are always metric, sure, give metric.
::* Is there anything which is ''always'' inch-pound?

:::US Letter sized paper is not defined anywhere except in one of President Reagan's executive orders declaring US Letter sized paper to be used in all government documents.  US Letter is considered to be 8 1/2" by 11", rather than its approximate millimeter definition.  Standardizing the size of paper is one of the good things he did.  Roads and railroads in the US are (were) defined in terms of inches.  Beer is always served in pints (although pints are usually colloquially redefined as 500 mL.)  Book sizes are defined in terms of inches.  I can't find '''any''' book sizes defined in metric units.  —[[User:Daelin|Daelin]] @ <tt>2006–01–08 17:03Z</tt> 

:::Canada defines the letter size as 216 x 280 mm. As for book sizes givsn in cm or mm, it all depends as to where the catalogue or newspaper article etc. originates. Peter Horn 14:51, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

::I don't feel it to be "irresponsible and a disservice to readers to state in the style guide 'metric is always preferred'."  It is ''the'' international standard after all but p'haps I'm biased.  [[User:Jimp|Jimp]] 14Jun05