Pounds or kilogrammes on the forum?

[Mick F]

Just discussed/mentioned on a different thread was how the forum software scans posts and modifies them to remove certain words it does not like. Words like <i>[derogatory word removed]</i> or <i>[derogatory word removed]</i> (ooops). On some forums you even have to write "k i t c h e n". So can is also scan for <number>lbs or <number>Km, etc. and do a modification to "<number>lbs (<different number>Kg)". Can't be difficult from a software perspective.

Ian

In what world is kitchen a derogatory term?

We had a spell of spam on here some time back with companies selling kitchens. The forum was rife with it and it took a good deal of effort deleting them.

No doubt the kitchen company was flooding other forums too.

[Bicycler]

I liked the spam ones which were changed to automatically read "get nasty virus here" or similar. That said, there were odd things like "Royal Air Force" which used to get refused. I successfully requested that the word penis to be allowed rather than removed as an "unpleasant word".

The finest hour of the forum software though was when it was programmed to remove the word 'helmet' and replace it with [polystyrene hat removed]

[TonyR]

The answer is simple. Quote everything in tons - 1 Imperial ton = 1 metric tonne as near as makes no difference. My bike weighs a tad over 0.01 tons or tonnes.

[Bicycler]

Don't forget the American ("short") ton which is 2000 lb compared to the 2240 lb Imperial ("long") ton.

As regards bicycles, I think anyone who doesn't understand both metric and imperial measures of length really ought to make the effort to understand. It's really not that difficult and too many bicycle parts are quoted in one or other measure. Even in the heart of Europe they talk of 28" tyres. Bicycle weight in pounds is these days a mainly American trait, so it's a bit more arguable. Surely though, it makes sense in a country like the UK to understand how stones and pounds relate to kilogrammes and grammes. In fact I think all people living in the UK really ought to have a working understanding of the most common metric and imperial measures.

[al_yrpal]

And the metric tonne 2204 lbs

Al

[Bmblbzzz]

I have to contradict my earlier post. I've realised I'm much more familiar with tyre pressure in psi than bar, atmospheres or kg/m^2.

[Mick F]

I liked the spam ones which were changed to automatically read "get nasty virus here" or similar. That said, there were odd things like "Royal Air Force" which used to get refused. I successfully requested that the word penis to be allowed rather than removed as an "unpleasant word".

The finest hour of the forum software though was when it was programmed to remove the word 'helmet' and replace it with [polystyrene hat removed]

I remember them well.
Happy days.

[RickH]

If you are using a computer to access the forum, Windows (at least from 7 onwards - I don't have a functioning version of any earlier versions to hand) has a built in calculator (listed under Accessories in the Programs menu) that will do a variety of conversions. Apple probably do something similar (but again I don't have access to any of their kit at the moment either).

Windows 10 Calculator conversion categories

Rick.

[barrym]

Google will do conversions (and sums) for you right in the search/address bar. Just type "convert 1' to cm". Think this works for browsers other than Chrome provided your search engine is Google. May work for other search engines too.

BTW, I think calculator has been in Windows since Bill wore short trousers!

Apologies if this is mentioned up thread, too lazy to look:-(

[kylecycler]

So my suggestion is that when weights are quoted in the forum that we use both (it's a two second job to get the equivalent on Google) and put the alternative in brackets or whatever. That way the reading is easier, even if the posting takes a little bit longer.

That would get my vote, as long as everyone/anyone can be bothered - I did that when comparing the weights of Steve Abraham's Raleigh Sojourn with Tommy Godwin's Raleigh Record Ace (remarkably, more or less the same, IIRC - whether in lbs or kg... )

Otherwise, I'm all over the place with this. I think of bicycle weights in kilogrammes. I think of body weight in stones and pounds, can't get on with Americans using only pounds, and haven't a clue about kilos for body weight, although I think of dog or cat body weights in kilos - my whippet Joey weighed 11kg even though he was the same height as a Golden Retriever. Like Bmbibzzz, I think of tyre pressures in psi not bar. I also think of miles not kilometres but metres not yards...

(Incidentally, I once knew a girl called Lita (her father named her after a singer called Lita Roza) whose nickname was Two Point Two, there being 2.2 pints in a litre - probably the most surreal nickname ever! )

P.S. For anyone who doesn't know (I didn't; I've only just found out - I googled Lita Roza's name to check the spelling!) - any time you've heard the song "(How Much is That) Doggie in the Window?" (woof! woof!), chances are it's almost always been Lita Roza's 1953 cover of Patti Page's original.

The things I've learned on this forum...