At 06:39 PM 10/25/2008, Olin Lathrop wrote:
>Gerhard Fiedler wrote:
> >> But that would be like saying "my clock is delayed by 3", ...
> >
> > Not quite the same, IMO. In terms of clock delay, there are at least
> > three common and reasonable units: seconds, minutes, hours.
>
> > In terms of resistors, there is only one reasonable and typical unit
> > (ohm)
>
>Absolutely not.  Power dissipation is often important, sometimes max
>voltage, and then there are various package variants.  What would you assume
>if I said I needed a "1206 resistor"?  Probably not 1,206 ohms.

I am not sure I would understand what you sere talking about, to me 
the package you call 1206 is 3015 (3mm x 1.5mm) and your American 
0603 package is a 1608 (1.6 x 0.8mm)


> >> ... which is very different from saying "3S" or "3s".
> >
> > Are you trying to make a point that "S" should mean "seconds"? Or that
> > using "3S" to mean "3 seconds" is "somewhat correct" or only "somewhat
> > wrong"?
>
>Sorry, I thought it was obvious.  I was saying that "my clock is delayed by
>3S" or "...3s" would both be far less ambiguous than "... 3", which I would
>say is just wrong, at least without a very clear context.

3s or some multiple or submultiple would be correct, I am not sure 
how the Siemen would be used as a unit of time.


>I don't make a distinction between "3S" and "3s" in this case.  I know you
>like to quote some official document that only one of these means seconds.
>But, someone stating a standard doesn't make it so until it is widely
>adopted.

Just because people use something sloppily doesn't mean that 
sloppiness is acceptable. If we try to use the correct values where 
possible then we will removev confusion. For example, if I say 1 
gallon what do you take it to mean?

John


>   The upper/lower case of "s" for seconds definitely isn't.  Whether
>anyone likes it or not, and regardless of what standards agency says it
>should be a particular way, the fact is it's not commonly adhered to.  That
>means someone writing "s" or "S" should not rely on the official distinction
>if that's important to the meaning, and someone looking at "S" or "s" units
>should consider that there might be some ambiguity.  I think saying either
>in this context is fine since it's perfectly clear.
>
>
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