Comments on: Don’t overlook the explanatory power of path dependency http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/03/03/dont-overlook-the-explanatory-power-of-path-dependency/ Human Animals at the Crossroads of Culture, Science, Religion and Media Sat, 22 Nov 2008 06:02:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: grumpypilgrim http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/03/03/dont-overlook-the-explanatory-power-of-path-dependency/#comment-18994 grumpypilgrim Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:26:29 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/03/03/dont-overlook-the-explanatory-power-of-path-dependency/#comment-18994 Dan's mention of British Imperial units reminds me of the long and disappointing history of the metric system in the U.S. Way back in the 1970s, the U.S. government announced plans to "Go Metric" in 1980. Businesses screamed that it was too expensive, so the feds declared a ten year extension. As the 1990 deadline approached, the feds again proudly announced their plan to go metric when the extension expired. Again, businesses screamed and, again, the feds declared yet another ten year extension. I'll let you all figure out what happened with the plan to go metric in 2000. Dan’s mention of British Imperial units reminds me of the long and disappointing history of the metric system in the U.S. Way back in the 1970s, the U.S. government announced plans to “Go Metric” in 1980. Businesses screamed that it was too expensive, so the feds declared a ten year extension. As the 1990 deadline approached, the feds again proudly announced their plan to go metric when the extension expired. Again, businesses screamed and, again, the feds declared yet another ten year extension. I’ll let you all figure out what happened with the plan to go metric in 2000.

]]> By: Dan Klarmann http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/03/03/dont-overlook-the-explanatory-power-of-path-dependency/#comment-16597 Dan Klarmann Wed, 05 Mar 2008 03:29:19 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/03/03/dont-overlook-the-explanatory-power-of-path-dependency/#comment-16597 3 nations still use British Imperial units instead of metric: U.S.A, Myanmar (Burma), and Liberia. <a href="http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hillger/internat.htm" target="_blank" title=" Metric usage and metrication in other countries" rel="nofollow">(Reference)</a> That's out of the 192 nations recognized by the U.N. The U.S. has held out against this more rational system since Ben Franklin himself argued for its use to the Continental Congress. I have written software that had to be able to calculate in Miles, yards, feet, inches, and 16ths (mixing base 16, 12, 3, 10, and 5280). The simplest solution was: Convert to metric and then back. 3 nations still use British Imperial units instead of metric: U.S.A, Myanmar (Burma), and Liberia. (Reference)
That’s out of the 192 nations recognized by the U.N.
The U.S. has held out against this more rational system since Ben Franklin himself argued for its use to the Continental Congress.

I have written software that had to be able to calculate in Miles, yards, feet, inches, and 16ths (mixing base 16, 12, 3, 10, and 5280). The simplest solution was: Convert to metric and then back.

]]> By: projektleiterin http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/03/03/dont-overlook-the-explanatory-power-of-path-dependency/#comment-16584 projektleiterin Tue, 04 Mar 2008 22:00:09 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/03/03/dont-overlook-the-explanatory-power-of-path-dependency/#comment-16584 On the other hand I prefer meters, centimeters, grams and kilograms to gallons, pounds, stones, inches, feet, yards, etc. But I probably prefer tjese units, because I'm used to them and they strike me as easier to handle. On the other hand I prefer meters, centimeters, grams and kilograms to gallons, pounds, stones, inches, feet, yards, etc. But I probably prefer tjese units, because I’m used to them and they strike me as easier to handle.

]]> By: projektleiterin http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/03/03/dont-overlook-the-explanatory-power-of-path-dependency/#comment-16583 projektleiterin Tue, 04 Mar 2008 21:55:34 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/03/03/dont-overlook-the-explanatory-power-of-path-dependency/#comment-16583 I just say, "Etymology!!" Linguistic barbarians... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_spelling_reform_of_1996 I just say, “Etymology!!”

Linguistic barbarians…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_spelling_reform_of_1996

]]> By: Dan Klarmann http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/03/03/dont-overlook-the-explanatory-power-of-path-dependency/#comment-16574 Dan Klarmann Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:13:13 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/03/03/dont-overlook-the-explanatory-power-of-path-dependency/#comment-16574 "As God Intended" is always a synonym for "What I'm Used To" "As God Intended" is always a synonym for "What I’m Used To"

]]> By: Dan Klarmann http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/03/03/dont-overlook-the-explanatory-power-of-path-dependency/#comment-16573 Dan Klarmann Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:11:37 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/03/03/dont-overlook-the-explanatory-power-of-path-dependency/#comment-16573 The typing keyboard layout was almost changed at the dawn of personal computers. Back in the early 1980's, a small group of efficiency advocates tried very hard to make the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvorak_Simplified_Keyboard" target="_blank" title="wiki: Dvorak Simplified Keyboard" rel="nofollow">Dvorak keyboard</a>, one designed in 1936 for minimum wrist strain and maximum typing speed, the standard on computers. <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/25/KB_United_States_Dvorak.svg/300px-KB_United_States_Dvorak.svg.png" alt="Dvorak Keyboard"> This is as opposed to Querty that was designed in the 1870's to slow typists down to reduce the frequency of typewriter jams. Improved typewriter design eliminated that first cause before WWII, but school bureaucracy was already fixed on teaching Querty, and there wasn't time to teach both. Bosses didn't want the burden of teaching it, either. The typing keyboard layout was almost changed at the dawn of personal computers. Back in the early 1980’s, a small group of efficiency advocates tried very hard to make the Dvorak keyboard, one designed in 1936 for minimum wrist strain and maximum typing speed, the standard on computers.
Dvorak Keyboard
This is as opposed to Querty that was designed in the 1870’s to slow typists down to reduce the frequency of typewriter jams. Improved typewriter design eliminated that first cause before WWII, but school bureaucracy was already fixed on teaching Querty, and there wasn’t time to teach both. Bosses didn’t want the burden of teaching it, either.

]]>