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Re: [Digital BW] Re: OT - U.S vs. Europe paper sizes???

2004-09-20 by bhhc

It is not Americans that are the only ones who are resistant. Canada didn't change over too readily. While some might say we are completely metric, I don't think the change is fully effected until people "think" in metric.

I think the key is to stick it into your schools from the first year, then grin and bear it. We did that here, and you could have sworn that the four horsemen of the apocalypse were due to arrive at any moment. Didn't happen. The biggest problem ends up being the baby-boomers, people like me. I still jump back and forth between the two, My mother tries to accept metric, and my daughters don't really know what avoirdupoids is. Ultimately, when My parents die off, then I, the conversion is complete . . . until somebody decides to convert to something else . . . thankfully I won't be around to see it ;-).

I agree with your attitude of advantages of living where you are. I like Quebec, but I have lived "and liked" in England and France (I was born in England), and in the US for a couple of years. I always come back here. Elsewhere is always interesting, but I am old enough to know that "the grass is always greener?"

Also, on the original topic, when Reagan adopted the 8.5x11 standard 
for the government in the 80s (changing from a size the government 
used to use before that) it was a perfect opportunity to specify 
metric paper sizes. Another example of internal regulation that 
ignored metric. 

I am not actually frustrated by this, there are many advantages of 
being in America (which is why I am still here :-), this is a 
relatively minor annoyance. There are major issues coming up now, 
but I *really* want to keep politics off this thread :-).

Manoj

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