@OneInterestingFact@mastodon.ie
2026-02-13 22:38 UTC
Replies (2)
-
@pozorvlak@mathstodon.xyz 2026-02-13 23:36
@OneInterestingFact @poki @tilton Sir Joseph Whitworth is an important figure in the history of metrology, and as a young man worked on Babbage's Difference Engine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Whitworth. But yes, with the benefit of 180 years' experience we have been able to improve on some of his designs.
-
@derryh@mastodon.scot 2026-02-14 07:55
@OneInterestingFact @poki @tilton BSF is British Standard Fine, fine thread Whitworth. BA is British Association; the world's first metric thread (Whitworth was on the committee). Unfortunately it used a mathematical progression rather than what we'd think of as metric today. Ironically, Whitworth preferred metric and his inch threads were designed as a stop-gap until everyone went metric.