Convert a 45 RPM record to Metric

Aug 31, 2017 27 Replies
R

Why do you think that is? Because that's what you are USED TO, of course. If you told me you skis are "six foot" long, I would have no clue if they were too long or too short for me. If you told me they are "one eighty", I'd know right away.

If you told me they are 1800 mm long, I'd still know right away. If I told you they are 72 inches, you'd have to think about it for a second. It is more convenient to move a decimal separator than to divide by 12.

You've got it all backwards. I would make that trace 0.15 mm, which is much more convenient than 5.90551181 thousandths of an inch.

Obviously, the inch is more convenient when you choose an example that is a nice, round fraction of an inch.

Your example uses a unit that is ONE THOUSANDTH of an inch. You can't do that. The thousand (and the hundred and the ten) belongs to the metric system. The imperial system uses halves, quarters, eighths and so on. Your trace is roughly 3/512 of an inch if you were to stick to your system.

RoRo
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R

I'm not talking about the familiarity of the units, I'm talking about the convenience. Just like the Brits still use stones for weight because they don't need the precision of knowing they are 224 pounds, but 16 stone is very handy.

Now you are getting close. I buy stuff on ebay and it is not uncommon to see dimensions of 4 digits in mm when it would be more convenient in dm or even just meters, but easily more convenient in feet or inches. mm are far more precise than needed for most measurements and awkward to scribe on rulers since the lines need to be so thin they are hard to see. I expect tape measures are graduated in 2 mm divisions. If they aren't, they should be.

I would love for all PCB measurements to be metric since the parts on the board are all metric. But I don't write the software and I don't design the web interfaces that 90% use mils and not metric. Now that trace/space measurements are getting to be fractions of mils, we may see that change, but small unit numbers are always more convenient than fractions or large numbers. That's why we have wire gauge, etc.

Ok, I'll inform the world. World! Consider yourself on notice!!! No more use of mils or micro-inches!

Rick C Viewed the eclipse at Wintercrest Farms, on the centerline of totality since 1998
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M

Except IIRC the "day" is ambiguous astronomically is you don't distinguish solar day (in usual parlance, e.g. between the sun being due south) and stellar with the stars returning to their same positions overhead. These two have to have a difference that adds up to a whole day over the course of the year.

Mike.

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R

Is that a solar year or a sidereal year? ;)

Rick C Viewed the eclipse at Wintercrest Farms, on the centerline of totality since 1998
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A

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Adrian C
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R

There is also the "Gimli Glider" incident. Only due to tremendous luck and pilot flying skill, nobody died.

RoRo
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R

Robert Roland wrote on 9/2/2017 4:32 PM:

I found one account to be a good read with this...

"A crew of engineers from Winnipeg airport clambered into a van and headed for Gimli to assess the damage. During transit, however, their vehicle unexpectedly ran out of fuel, nearly ripping a hole in the delicate space-irony continuum. "

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Rick C Viewed the eclipse at Wintercrest Farms, on the centerline of totality since 1998
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A

I'd rather pick my belly button lint than have any concern about this.

Mikek

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