MisterFrogOct 20, 2024

Literally Nineteen Eighty-Four

https://lemmy.world/post/21049926

Literally Nineteen Eighty-Four - Lemmy.World

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/21049862 [https://lemmy.world/post/21049862] > The only numbers I will ever spell are one and zero, and only when using them as a pronoun, or for emphasis, respectively. > > Is there ever a reason to not to use symbols when dealing with numbers? Why would “fourteen whatevers” ever be preferable to “14 whatevers”. It’s just so much easier to read numbers as symbols, not spelled out. > > (Caveat, not including multipliers, like “273 billion”).

Show threadtiramichuOct 20, 2024

Context is everything, IMO.

In engineering work numbers should always be digits. In prose numbers should be spelled out.

Breakfast at the Thompson’s was a busy affair; twelve eggs and six rounds of toast for their three sets of boistrous twins.

Breakfast at the Thompson’s was a busy affair; 12 eggs and 6 rounds of toast for their 3 sets of boistrous twins.

To me it’s pretty clear which of those reads better and more naturally as prose; digits really ‘jump out’ on the page, and while that is great for engineering texts, it is incongruent and distracting for prose.

Show threadlengauOct 20, 2024
Somewhat relevant to your example, recipes should have numbers in digits too. (But then again recipes are basically an engineering text.)
Show threadexasperation

recipes are basically an engineering text

I would love to see more systematic recipe formats.

Around 15-20 years ago there was a website called “Cooking for Engineers” that used a table format for recipes that was pretty clever, and a very useful diagram for how to visualize the steps (at least for someone like me). I don’t think he ever updated the site to be mobile friendly but you can see it here:

Cheesecake
Dirty Rice

He describes the recipe in a descriptive way, but down at the bottom it lists ingredients and how they go together in a chart that shows what amounts to use, what ingredients go into a particular step, what that step is, and how the product of that step feeds into the next step.

Cheesecake, Plain New York Style - Recipe File - Cooking For Engineers

Step by step recipe instructions for cheesecake, plain new york style complete with photographs and reader comments and discussion

Oct 20, 2024 at 12:41pmWeb
Show threadbarsoapOct 20, 2024

1/2 pound (225 g)

What kind of insanity is this a pound is 500g.

2 cups (390 g) rice

Your cups weigh 195g a piece? Reasonable for stoneware, I guess. But why are you telling me and what does it have to do with the mass of rice?

Show threadcaptainlezbianOct 21, 2024
Oh damn that’s a sensical format. I love it and may put my recipes in it once I start writing them properly