Is "Centon" copyrighted? (metric clocks)

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the term "Centon" as a proposed unit of time, particularly in the context of its use in Battlestar Galactica and its potential copyright status. Participants explore the implications of using decimal time and how it might be applied to measuring time on other planets.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether "Centon" is copyrighted and suggests researching it online, noting the existence of various products named "Centon."
  • Another participant expresses skepticism about the practicality of a metric clock, particularly criticizing the 2.4-hour "hour" as not aligning well with human timekeeping practices.
  • A third participant references a Wikipedia article on decimal time, indicating an interest in the broader context of time measurement systems.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the copyright status of "Centon" or the viability of using it as a unit of time. Multiple viewpoints regarding the practicality of decimal time and its application remain present.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in the discussion regarding the definitions of time units and the assumptions about human timekeeping practices that are not fully explored.

Algr
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Is the term "Centon", as a unit of time used in Battlestar Galactica copyrighted? How would I go about finding this out?

I was thinking about how people would deal with measuring time on other planets when I got to thinking about decimal time and what the units were called. Using seconds and hours would be confusing. It seemed to me that 1/100 of a day should be called a centon. At 14 minutes long, (on Earth) this would be a useful measurement for organizing the day. We already use roughly this unit, as most things happen on the half or quarter hour.
 
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Algr said:
copyrighted? How would I go about finding this out?
No. Google it --- you'll find "Centon" hitch covers, "Centon" electronics, ad nauseum. Time bases on other planets? Why base ten?
 
I'm aware of those, but I didn't see Centon used as a unit of time anywhere. The 2.4 hr "hour" in the metric clock strikes me as problematic since it doesn't really match anything that humans do; You need three digits for just about anything.
 

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