International Vocabulary of Metrology (VIM) is a “System of Units”, not a “System of Measurement”. The VIM explains the terminology used in publications related to measurement, including the official SI brochure.
Continue reading “International Vocabulary of Metrology”International Organisation for Legal Metrology
The International Organisation for Legal Metrology (OIML from the French “Organisation Internationale de Métrologie Légale”) is housed in a non-descript office in the Rue Turgot in the 9th arrondissement of Paris and is about 700 metres the from the Gare du Nord. Like the BIPM, the OIML is an inter-governmental organisation which gives its staff quasi-diplomatic status, though, like the BIPM, French nationals pay French income tax. The OIML works closely with BIPM, the International Standards Organization (ISO) and other international bodies in coordinating metrology around the globe, with each organisation having its own specific role.
Continue reading “International Organisation for Legal Metrology”CMA report explains how to encourage more use of unit pricing information
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened a project on 31 January 2023 to consider the use of unit pricing in the groceries sector. On 20 July 2023, the CMA published its unit pricing review findings. On 30 January 2024, the CMA published its findings from consumer research and unit pricing analysis. These findings examined the awareness, presence and prominence of unit pricing, who uses it and how many use it. Unit pricing is one tool used by consumers among many in making decisions about purchases.
Continue reading “CMA report explains how to encourage more use of unit pricing information”Tesco announced it will show unit pricing for Clubcard offers
For Clubcard offers, you could only see the price per unit for the original price but not for the Clubcard price. Tesco has announced that unit pricing will also be shown for the Clubcard price as well. This will enable Clubcard holders to see that they are getting the best deal.
Continue reading “Tesco announced it will show unit pricing for Clubcard offers”How did campaigners for the metric system get their message across 120 years ago?
120 years ago, in addition to the activities of their members, the Decimal Association made use of pamphlets to make their case for the adoption of the metric system in place of the bewildering array of imperial weights and measures that were in use at the time.
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Government ideology compromises Emergency Services
Observant readers might have noticed white pillars with blue bands and red reflector strips along the edges of motorways and on certain dual carriageway A-roads. These are called location marker posts. Some might have also noticed blue signs with the road number and other information along England’s (but not Scotland’s, Wales’s or Northern Ireland’s) roads. These are called driver location signs. They are to the road engineers what postcodes are to the postal service.
Continue reading “Government ideology compromises Emergency Services”House of Lords votes in favour of full adoption of the metric system
With the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee still fresh in people’s memories, and with a new King on the throne, it is a momentous time in our country’s history as the House of Lords votes unanimously to switch to the sole use of the metric system for all official purposes within a 2-year period.
The vote was undoubtedly influenced by the massive public support recently expressed in favour of the metric system.
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What are binary prefixes?
When four new SI prefixes were added to the International System of Units (SI) in November 2022, one of the main reasons cited for their need was for their use in data science, where the numbers involved in describing quantities of information have become ever larger. e.g. The amount of data generated by the internet is projected to hit 175 zettabytes by 2025.
Don’t expect to see pints of wine in the shops
After the Government published its response to the imperial units consultation in late December 2023, they said that they will add a 568 ml (pint-size) to the list of permitted sizes for wine bottles as well as the new 200 ml size for still wine and the new 500 ml size for sparkling wine. The headlines in the Government press release and in the media suggesting that pint-sized wine bottles will appear in the shops are misleading because it depends on winemakers making them but there has been a lack of interest in making them.
Continue reading “Don’t expect to see pints of wine in the shops”Universal metric or particular imperial?
Whether it is twips for typographic screen measurements, hands for horses’ heights or furlongs for horse racing, many imperial units are used for specific purposes. By contrast, the International System of Units (SI), the modern version of the metric system, is based on the principle that each measurable phenomenon has one basic named unit and all the multiples and subdivisions of the unit then follow the same logical structure using prefixes.
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Metric Views 