But the overwhelming response is WHY?
The argument that everybody else is doing it doesn't wash with me, my dear
departed ol' mommy used to tell me, "If everybody else is jumping off a
bridge, should you?" when I wanted to go do something we couldn't afford.
Yes, it is originally European, and if you listen to the soccer moms
EVERYTHING from Europe HAS to be better. I think it is absolutely useless
to spend millions of dollars (if not billions) retooling everything to
metric units for no other reason than "because it's metric." It IS an
easier system to use, but imperial units are not THAT much of a problem to
people that were raised using them. With circuit boards it is especially
silly, especially since we rarely have to worry about conversions from feet,
and that we use decimal units and not fractional. If your software is so
brain-dead that it can't snap to a pad no matter WHERE the pad is located,
you have a reason to switch units back and forth, but using mandated grid
units in most cases is a waste of time and your employer's money. Writing
standards in just one unit for no other reason than forcing folks to switch
to your opinion about what is the best for them is nothing but political
bullpuckey, which (IMHO) is what the IPC is best at doing any more. And
while I'm at it, pricing standards at the level that corporate IPC members
can afford is not of service to Designers and what THEY can afford.
This inherent conflict-of-interest was one of my original concerns about the
IPC running the Designers Council. It really SHOULD have been the IEEE
doing it as an organization of individuals, rather that an organization of
companies like the IPC.
With the current political climate between the EU and the US, I wouldn't be
surprised to see them pass a law that everything imported must be in metric
units. And the US will jerk its collective knee and jump to it, because we
don't want to ruffle anybody's feathers.
I agree with Pat, if there is a reason to do it in metric, go ahead. But
you shouldn't be forced into it because the EU politicians can't wipe their
behinds with toilet paper that was cut in imperial units.
This is a religious argument, nobody is going to be convinced no matter what
anybody says :)
Y'all have a great weekend if you are lucky enough not to be working.
--
George Patrick
Tektronix, Inc.
Central Engineering, PCB Design Group
P.O. Box 500, M/S 39-512
Beaverton, OR 97077-0001
Phone: 503-627-5272 Fax: 503-627-5587
http://www.tektronix.com http://www.pcb-designer.com
It's my opinion, not Tektronix'
-----Original Message-----
From: DesignerCouncil [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Kowalewski, Andy
Sent: Friday, July 23, 2004 14:38
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [DC] Inches vs Metric
I didn't say it was easy... :-)
And don't stop at paper - there's miles, gallons, degrees Fahrenheit,
tyre pressures etc etc and etc.
Our little part of that huge transformation isn't so difficult, and
don't forget that we're board designers - we work miracles daily, and we
can do absolutely ANYTHING !! :-)
Andy K.
Sychip Inc
Office (972) 202 8852
-----Original Message-----
From: James Jackson [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, July 23, 2004 4:33 PM
To: (Designers Council Forum); Kowalewski, Andy
Subject: Re: [DC] Inches vs Metric
All I want to know is ...
Where do I get 'Metric' sized paper for my 'American Units' Printer, so
I
can go 100% Metric, and print my Schematics on Metris paper? Hmmmmm???
Regards,
James Jackson
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kowalewski, Andy" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, July 23, 2004 3:54 PM
Subject: Re: [DC] Inches vs Metric
Let me get up on my well-known soapbox:
Go with the metric units if you have an option. We will all have to do
that sooner or later, and sooner is better.
Preach the gospel to anyone who will listen - it's a whole lot better
once you break through the pain barrier :-)
Andy K.
Sychip Inc
Office (972) 202 8852
-----Original Message-----
From: DesignerCouncil [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Scott Riley
Sent: Friday, July 23, 2004 3:50 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [DC] Inches vs Metric
This is something that will never go away. I used to work at a company
with
a standard that all drawings were to be dimensioned in MM. All our
designs
were done in microns, but the engineers all spoke in "mils". It made
for
interesting design reviews, but you eventually get used to it.
One of the first things I ask a new customer is what units they prefer.
If
it's inch I use line widths/spaces of 0.005, 0.010, etc. If they want
metric
I use 0.125, 0.25, etc. It's interesting to see how much "metric data" I
received with values of 0.381, 0.254, 0.762, 1.016.
Personally I prefer metric, but still buy beer buy the pint :)
Scott D. Riley
Technical Design Service
607-658-9322 - Office
607-785-1696 - FAX
<http://www.techdesignservice.com/> www.techdesignservice.com
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