2nd CFV: misc.metric-system

                      LAST CALL FOR VOTES (of 2)
                 unmoderated group misc.metric-system

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Newsgroups line:
misc.metric-system      The International System of Units.

Votes must be received by 23:59:59 UTC, 25 Nov 2003.

This vote is being conducted by a neutral third party.  Questions about
the proposed group should be directed to the proponent.

Proponent: Markus Kuhn <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Votetaker: Bill Aten <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

RATIONALE: misc.metric-system

Units of measurement and related standards affect many aspects of our
daily lives. The global standardization of a single consistent
International System of Units was a major breakthrough for human
civilization and significantly simplified communication, learning,
work and trade all over the planet.

The introduction of the metric system still faces delays in some
areas. Notable examples are consumer communication and traffic
regulations in the United States and United Kingdom, as well as parts
of the aeronautical and typographic industry. It is therefore no
surprise that discussions about the metric system flare up regularly
in many different newsgroups. In particular the slow progress with
metrication in the United States promises to fuel such debates for
many years to come.

A dedicated newsgroup will focus expertise and will provide a medium
for professionals and hobbyists to find advice and suggestions on
metric product standards and conventions. None of the newsgroups in
which metric-system issues flare up frequently is particularly suited
for this topic by charter and readership. The popularity of the
existing US and UK Metric Associations' mailing lists demonstrates
that there is a significant number of people interested in the topic.
Considering the important role that units of measurement play in
everyone's life, this promises to become a quite lively newsgroup.

The name of the proposed group has been the subject of some debate.
The present proposal is motivated by these considerations:

  - Although discussions about the metric system focus much on its
    slow progress in a small number of countries, the topic is
    inherently international in nature and discussions tend to benefit
    very significantly from world-wide participation. Therefore,
    placing the group under us.* or uk.* would be inappropriate.

  - The metric system affects many fields, including consumer
    communication and road traffic. Discussions about the metric
    system range from basic science and applied engineering
    considerations to economic, social, psychological, legal, public
    policy and media aspects. This excludes sci.* and leaves misc.* as
    the most appropriate hierarchy.

  - The metric system is the only system of units used in almost every
    region and field of application. "Imperial" and "U.S. Customary"
    units are usually discussed in relation to the metric system,
    which is within the scope of the proposed group. Other unit
    systems have very limited applications and are better discussed in
    specialized science or history groups. The proposed group is far
    more likely to have specialized children rather than equivalent
    siblings, which speaks against an entire misc.measurement.*
    hierarchy and justifies a place directly under misc.

  - The term "metric system" remains the most well known and most
    easily recognized English language term for what is more formally
    called the "International System of Units (SI)". This speaks
    against group names such as *.si or *.metric.

The proposed charter has equally been the subject of some debate. The
present proposal is motivated by these considerations:

  - It refers equally to both the official modern name "International
    System of Units (SI)" and the colloquial English term "metric
    system". This is in the interest of rapid recognition by both
    readers and search-engine users. Any further distinction between
    these terms is deliberately left to explanatory periodic postings.

  - It is broad enough to cover discussions about different historic
    variants of the metric system (e.g., CGS, MKS, various European
    customary units) as well as contemporary units that compete with
    the SI (e.g., inch, pound, Fahrenheit, calorie).

  - It is narrow enough to exclude topics that are not related to
    metric units (e.g., the history and redefinition of calendars).

  - It covers product standards and conventions that are not part of
    any official definition of the metric system, but that are closely
    related to metric units (e.g., metric clothing sizes, paper
    formats, engineering components, traffic regulations). These can
    be considerably more complex topics than the metric system itself,
    leading to discussions of particular interest to consumers and
    practitioners.

  - It leaves room for the possible later creation of a separate
    misc.metric-system.advocacy group for those with a particular
    interest in political activities related to metrication.

  - It was written with the expectation that the topic is unlikely to
    attract large non-plain-text postings, commercial advertising or
    unsocial behaviour in any particular way, leaving these issues to
    common sense and USENET etiquette.

  - It is brief.

CHARTER: misc.metric-system

This newsgroup is for discussion about the International System of
Units (SI) or metric system, including its use in scientific,
technical, and consumer applications, its history and definition, and
its adoption in fields and regions where other units of measurement
are still prevalent (metrication). Included within its scope are
related global standards and conventions, for example metric product
specifications and consumer-product labelling practice.

END CHARTER.

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Mailing list name: U.S. Metric Association
Submission address: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Mailing list name: UK Metric Association
Submission address: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

misc.metric-system - Ack Bounce List
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chemgurl77.trash [at] hotmail.com                                         chem
m.collado [at] aaron.ls.fi.upm.es                               Manuel Collado

-- 
Bill Aten, UVV <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>