Metric vs. Imperial, which one do you prefer?

[Lethe]

So I went to the deli today and asked for a pound of turkey breast. The lady across the counter immediately asked me if I was from the states, to which I responded I prefer to weigh my food in pounds and ounces over grams and kilograms.

It got me thinking, I actually use imperial quite a bit, despite metric being much more common and well-known.

Examples where I prefer imperial over metric: mass, fuel economy (xx mpg sounds so much better than x.x l/100 km), length over short distances (i.e. height of a person), area (sq. ft over sq. meters) and various calibers of ammunition.

How about you guys? Will be interesting to see as we have quite a diverse group here.

[skeloperch]

I never liked the Metric system all that much since I grew up with the Imperial system. Cultural shock was huge when I went to NZ for a year and most people used Metric.

[Beanybag]

Metric, powers of ten make the most possible sense. The only seeming downside to some metric measurements is that the base measurements aren't ideal for most common scenarios - litres just feel too small, even though I know why they are the size they are.

[[IaF]Skyve]

Metric because around here nobody ever uses anything else, so it's a matter of being used to it (plus it makes more sense overall imo).

[haddon]

I prefer the Imperial system as that's what I was raised on, but I recently moved back to the states so it's taking a while to get used to. Guess it really just depends on what you were raised on.

[[5]willdaBEAST]

How many hogheads are there in a puncheon?

I prefer imperial, but only because that's what I grew up with. Metric is a lot more logical, but a lot of the archaic imperial measurements are quite fun.

[[BOT]Naib]

Metric is alot easier to work with
SI units makes conversion and reduction REALLY intuitive ( W/m.K so much better than BTU/hr.ft.F )
Everything being base10 means working with different units and equations just work (especially when using Giga,Mega,Kilo,milli,micro,nano,pico suffixes for decimation). With imperial you have to be VERY careful that everything is at the correct denomination before plugging into a formula.

I work with both mainly because PCB's are all in imperial - but I convert to metric to simplify clearance calcs (since my brain works in metric, the SI suffix makes things so easy) OR because customer specs refer to info in imperial (american customers)

[[S2]ElementUser]

Metric is alot easier to work with
SI units makes conversion and reduction REALLY intuitive ( W/m.K so much better than BTU/hr.ft.F )
Everything being base10 means working with different units and equations just work (especially when using Giga,Mega,Kilo,milli,micro,nano,pico suffixes for decimation). With imperial you have to be VERY careful that everything is at the correct denomination before plugging into a formula.

I work with both mainly because PCB's are all in imperial - but I convert to metric to simplify clearance calcs (since my brain works in metric, the SI suffix makes things so easy) OR because customer specs refer to info in imperial (american customers)

This * 1000000

Imperial system is stupid for the usual calculations. However because imperial's old, things like feet & inches are a good representative of references (ie, height), so I guess it's good for those types of things. I personally don't want to have a conversion factors sheet if possible

[[Loli]N`Hydrolisk]

Imperial measurements of distance are pretty good for stories, but for all else, I prefer metric.

[lol_u_mad]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pu_illAgCPg

[Lhune]

I prefer metric because I grew up with it, but it seems so much more logical to me as well :/.

[Bobble]

Metric. It's just plain better and more efficient.

[BlueSteel]

Metric, all the way. Except for Kph which is rubbish.

[AdventureMan]

Measuring stuff by stones, feet and inches is just silly. No stones, feet or inches are identical in weight/length (And thats my childish reasoning for not liking imperial).

Nah seriously, I prefer metric, since its the standard where I live.

[[Wolf]Minaxter]

You know what the call a quarter pounder in france?

A ROYAAAAALE WITH CHEESE

[Gipp]

metric because its all they use in my physics and engineering classes

[Lethe]

For calculations, yes, metric is undeniably better.

However, for reference (and often daily) sake, is it the same? Most Canadians, myself included, prefer pounds to kilograms, and feet/inches to meters.

Do your weigh yourself in pounds or kg?

How about your food? Or height?

Again, in pure calculation sense, metric > imperial. But let's move on from that. In practical, RL, day-to-day scenarios, is imperial that bad?

[[Wolf]Minaxter]

For calculations, yes, metric is undeniably better.

However, for reference (and often daily) sake, is it the same? Most Canadians, myself included, prefer pounds to kilograms, and feet/inches to meters.

Do your weigh yourself in pounds or kg?

How about your food? Or height?

Again, in pure calculation sense, metric > imperial. But let's move on from that. In practical, RL, day-to-day scenarios, is imperial that bad?

To you it seems okay because you're used to it. For me, i order 250grams of mince and i know roughly what to expect. I have no idea what to ask for if it was in pounds. If you grow up thinking metric it just seems natural to you. As im sure imperial seems natural for your own guestimates

[Lethe]

Let me make it perfectly clear there's no right or wrong answer here.

I just want to hear your perspective. I know Canada uses a rather strange, undefined hybrid system that dawns on you after a while

[[Wolf]Minaxter]

I'm not saying you're wrong, im just saying that whatever your brought up with seems right.