Digital BW, The Print

Tom OConnell wrote:
> There must be some interesting explanation about how and why England 
> and Europe use A4 etc. paper and US uses Letter sized (and other 
> sizes).
> 
> How and why did they get different standards.
> 
> I see that A4 fits a 35mm aspect ratio full frame. Letter size 
> doesn't fit either full frame or 8x10 (probably another explanation 
> about 8x10).
> 
> Just interested in this...I think about it every month when I see the 
> two paper sizes. It's funny how we've reduced the size of the world 
> digitally but not on paper <g>.
> 
> thanks and cheers,
> 
> Tom O'Connell

The Dutch were partly responsible for both paper systems :-)

For the American size see
http://www.afandpa.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Pulp_and_Paper/Fun_Facts/The_U_S__Standard_Paper_Size.htm

For metrification see Simon Stevin etc:
http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hillger/dates.htm

What would have been your paper size if Simon Stevin had laid the 
foundation for NYC and Peter Stuyvesant defended us against the 
Spanish, French and the sea ?   We are lucky that it was the 
other way around.

Ernst