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Post by Sojourner on Jan 22, 2004 9:57:08 GMT -5
How is quantity, volume and the like measured in the Imperium?
I've seen reference to kilograms, kilometres and watts, but metric just doesn't seem to fit too well. Perhaps these SI units are part of the Lingua Technis?
For the common populace I would prefer a more archaic system, something like the 'Imperial Draught' as a measure of weight, each one being divided into one thousand or one million 'corpuscles of Draught' or something along those lines.
Represented in shorthand as '1Dg=1,000,000C/Dg or similar.
Thoughts?
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Post by Minister on Jan 22, 2004 14:08:37 GMT -5
I think that leaving it in SI would make everyone here's life much easier...
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Post by Sikkukkut on Jan 23, 2004 7:53:21 GMT -5
For what it's worth, Marc Gascoigne posted this on the BL board in a conversation with Zholud:
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Post by zholud on Jan 23, 2004 12:34:59 GMT -5
How is quantity, volume and the like measured in the Imperium? Thoughts? Official bodies (Mechanicus, Navy, IG among them) use metric system, recognized by the whole Imperium. Individual planets use own measures, which you prefer...
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Post by Kage2020 on Jan 23, 2004 22:20:12 GMT -5
I'm laughing at what GW thinks are 'details', but there we go. I think that SI units are broadly the way to go, but we should not disallow 'unique measures' that are steeped in the beliefs (or whatever) of the 40k universe or individual organisations... Kage
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Post by Sojourner on Jan 24, 2004 3:47:34 GMT -5
I just don't like the names; it seems strange that such a system would persist for so long when human civilisation has been reduced to rubble several times in its history...
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Post by zholud on Jan 24, 2004 14:17:39 GMT -5
I just don't like the names; it seems strange that such a system would persist for so long when human civilisation has been reduced to rubble several times in its history... Which names?! Of metric system or "others"? Take to the note that STC most likely build on standardised parts made in probably metric system, as the parts for e.g. tanks are interchangeable. Why don't you like them?
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Post by Sojourner on Jan 25, 2004 7:11:57 GMT -5
SI units; They're just too...intelligent for the Imperium...
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Post by Kage2020 on Jan 25, 2004 10:27:23 GMT -5
Nope... don't see that myself. The only problem that I see many people having with them is that they might require that people understanding the logic behind them. This wouldn't conform to many peoples' "Adeptus Me-can't-icus" approach to the adeptus mechanicus... Kage
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Post by zholud on Jan 25, 2004 13:14:04 GMT -5
SI units; They're just too... intelligent for the Imperium... I guess that you greatly underestimate the level of knowledge held by Adeptus Mechanicus. They do great biological and mechanical implants, construct warp drives, etc. They don’t pray to every toaster, and their knowledge in many areas supercede such of modern science, e.g. warp travel. So the SI system is natural for them.
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Post by Kage2020 on Jan 25, 2004 19:56:36 GMT -5
Thank you, zholud... ;D Kage
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Post by Rogue Trader on Mar 8, 2004 15:55:17 GMT -5
Just curious, wouldn't it be impossible to have a standard weight in the Imperium? As far as I've understood an object may weigh one thing on one planet and something else on another due to the difference in their gravity.
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Post by Sojourner on Mar 8, 2004 18:15:40 GMT -5
Well, not to sound circular...
But you just standardise it. Use mass, or correct for gravitational pull en-route.
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Post by CELS on Mar 8, 2004 18:18:06 GMT -5
Yes, but if you know what gravity the world has, compared to Terra, you can calculate how much it would weigh on Terra. For example, if a world has 0,5 g and you have an object that weighs 2 units on this world, then it would weigh 4 units on Terra, which has 1 g. Of course, my calculations are probably wrong, and I'm sure other things enter into the calculations, but my point is; it shouldn't be a problem. Right...? I'm going out on a limb here, not having studied physics ever...
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Post by Sojourner on Mar 9, 2004 4:05:48 GMT -5
That's about it, CELS, gravitational field strength is that straightforward.
But what's the point? You just measure everything by mass; weighing systems will be calibrated to the gravitational field of the world they're being used on.
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