[uf-new] Currency Proposal (and Measurements)

[Andy Mabbett]

In message <4630FFD5.4050607 at digitalbazaar.com>, Manu Sporny
<msporny at digitalbazaar.com> writes

>It looks like measurement should be a new Microformat. If it is
>successful, it would probably replace the currency Microformat.

I agree with your former statement, but not the latter. There are some
crucial differences between measurements of size, mass, time, etc., and
amounts of money.

For example, the relation between an inch and a centimetre is
(historical shifts not withstanding) fixed; the relationship between a
Canadian Dollar and a Pound Sterling changes minute by minute.

Measurements, are, well, measured. Amounts of money are arbitrarily
applied.

The length of a metre, say, has been fixed throughout time; the real
value (purchasing power) of a dollar or pound have changed over time,
through inflation, deflation and devaluation.

We need to determine whether these differences are significant, when
creating the respective microformat(s).

>Before we start speculating, however, there should be a great number of
>examples gathered on how people are publishing measurements online.

Note that currency examples have already been provided:

        <http://microformats.org/wiki/currency-examples>

-- 
Andy Mabbett
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