The Reading Vent & Rant Thread

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I think all countries where English is the main language should be using double quotes. Even the UK sometimes uses double quotes.

Yes, and everyone should be using the Celsius scale and the metric system.

[ownedbycats]

When I catch up on a fanfic and a new chapter comes in later that day. Argh.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Yes, and everyone should be using the Celsius scale and the metric system.

Also ISO format dates.

Probably a lost cause wanting 10000 added to Gregorian year dates.

Inductance is commonly measured in milli-Henrys. Should beauty be measured in milli-Helens?

[jbjb]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Yes, and everyone should be using the Celsius scale and the metric system.

Celsius - yes!

Metric system for science and engineering - most definitely yes!

Everyday life - it's a mix - here in the UK most things are metric, but distances are still in miles, (car) speeds in miles per hour and fuel consumption in miles per gallon. Beer is still (thank goodness*) sold in pints in pubs.

* A pint is the right amount for beer - don't ask me why, it just is.

[jbjb]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Should beauty be measured in milli-Helens?

It will be now (at least by me).

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by jbjb

Celsius - yes!

Metric system for science and engineering - most definitely yes!

Everyday life - it's a mix - here in the UK most things are metric, but distances are still in miles, (car) speeds in miles per hour and fuel consumption in miles per gallon. Beer is still (thank goodness*) sold in pints in pubs.

* A pint is the right amount for beer - don't ask me why, it just is.

500ml is also OK. A 1l is too much unless you are German?

Ireland managed to change all the speed limits quickly to Km/h. Fingerboards took a little longer to change to km.
Even older card have km/h as well as mph. Many even to 15 years old have Km/h as the main speedometer.

All fuel is sold in euros per litre.

Food & drink is in a mix of metric styles and imperial styles, but has the metric labels. There are still pints and halves in bars, but 500ml cans are common and milk is 1l, 1.5l and 2l. Wine might be 750 ml bottles.
Butter is marked metric but mostly pound and half-pound packs.

[Sirtel]

I often find it ironic that the US, who fought to gain independence of the British Empire, is basically the only one still fully using imperial units, while the Empire itself has mostly switched over to metrics.

But I guess it's their own business what system they want to use. The same with quotes.

[Renate]

I haven't checked recently but you could always order "ein Pfund" (a pound, but actually 500 grams) of meat at a German butcher. That made my favorite order "ein halb Pfund halb und halb Gehacktes", i.e. ground beef/pork.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I often find it ironic that the US, who fought to gain independence of the British Empire, is basically the only one still fully using imperial units, while the Empire itself has mostly switched over to metrics.

But I guess it's their own business what system they want to use. The same with quotes.

They also follow Imperial Rome: A Capitol, A Senate and a President that is constitutionally like a Monarch or Emperor. We also all know Kaiser and Tsar comes from Caesar. (Originally C had K sound in Latin).

The Metric system was invented by US Ally France (made Statue of Liberty?) and upgraded by the British.

[issybird]

Amazon's refusal to curate uploaded Kindle books.

Years ago, I had a wonderful compilation titled The Viking Portable Dorothy Parker. My paper copy went walkabout eons ago and even if it hadn't, I'd love to get a digital version. So, while browsing on Amazon I came across The Portable Dorothy Parker for only 99¢! Could it be? While obviously a bootleg edition, I would have violated all my principles (it's not as if I can buy a legit copy) and pulled the trigger, except that a few one-star reviews told the story: all of the content is by Dorothy L. Sayers. Most of the work of both Dorothys is still under copyright in the US, but that's not even the prime beef.

It had a rating of 4.4 stars, but the good reviews were obviously of the paperback edition. Yet another issue.

I haven't bought a Kindle book since late 2023 and this shores up my resolve to shop elsewhere.

[Quoth]

Amazon need to STOP putting reviews of paperbacks on ebooks, especially ones not by the original publisher.
Technically it's lying and also illegal in many countries (Trade Description Act or similar).

Also all the 99p / 99c ebooks badly done from Fadedpage, Gutenberg or even direct Archive Org (without any proofing of OCR).


How can they mix up Sayers & Parker? Has to be total idiocy or deliberate.

I've been buying kobo more often recently even if a little more, but I still have to double check before adding to the Wishlist. The exact same charlatans/idiots/scammers are publising the exact same titles on Kobo too!

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I often find it ironic that the US, who fought to gain independence of the British Empire, is basically the only one still fully using imperial units, while the Empire itself has mostly switched over to metrics.

But I guess it's their own business what system they want to use. The same with quotes.

I remember when we attempted here in California.
The problem was it was done half-*ssed. AKA 'optional' in many places, so folk just switched to someone who opted OUT.

For years, Analog speedometers had both scales. I can't recall if Metric is an option on my car with a Digital only display.
We just need to change Cold Turkey. No Imperial allowed in US Commerce (stores).

FWIW I agree, a 'Pint' is a proper sized beer. Anything more and they would need to wheel me home (I made sure I did not have to drive after visiting UK pubs. GOOD stuff )

[JSWolf]

When an eBook has hi-res graphics and Amazon plays it's still games by reducing the resolution and re-compressing so they are small then they should be. Amazon's claim is that it's to reduce the transmission costs. We all know that's pure BS.

You do not get that with ePub.

[andyh2000]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

When an eBook has hi-res graphics and Amazon plays it's still games by reducing the resolution and re-compressing so they are small then they should be. Amazon's claim is that it's to reduce the transmission costs. We all know that's pure BS.

You do not get that with ePub.

But it would reduce transmission costs. And I'm sure it adds up when you operate at the scale Amazon do.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by andyh2000

But it would reduce transmission costs. And I'm sure it adds up when you operate at the scale Amazon do.

Do you really think Amazon pays for outgoing data?