h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: The 'e' mark - A2800171
Author: Pimms Lettuce - U219930

A short entry on the estimated mark which can be seen on most packaged goods people buy. The entry was inspired by zork64 (U775565) in this thread: F30859?thread=442795

What do you think of it?

It does what it says on the tin!

Clear and simple -

sprout

Thanks for writing this one!

I had absolutely no idea what the 'e' was for; I had a vague notion that it had something to do with the EU as it only appears on goods from the EU, but for all I knew it could have meant 'export' or 'edible' or 'extortionately priced by the time it gets to Australia'.

(Come to think of it, that last one might still be correct.)

So there you go - no constructive comments, just gratitude.

Ivan.

Hi Pimms. Neat entry.

Don't forget that footnotes are sentences... with full stops/periods at the end. And footnote one should use single quotes, of course.

"Units of Measurement will tells you more about the SI3 measures used by the metrological machines to give standard comparisons."

Perhaps the 'Units of Measurement' link should make it clear you're referring to the link, and not the noun. And it will *tell* you more, not *tells* you more.

Anyway. Good work.

Thanks Jodan. It feels odd putting a full stop after the two words of an abbreviation (System Internationale) Don't know how I missed the other points

Pimms

Perhaps a note mentioning the difference between this and an E number might be advisable. I was confused and thought that was the subject at first.

Other than that, cool

Thanks Orcus - that's another gap in the Guide to fill. I'm learning a lot

Orcus not only added a brief line to highlight that e numbers are something different,I've also had a stab at a brief introduction to what E numbers are: A2867961

I expect to enter it to PR shortly. It isn't comprehensive by any means, but should clear up most simple questions.

Pimms

Hi Pimms

Again, no comments - not even a nitpick Good entry

However, I do think the world has gone completely mad To think that we need to have an 'e' to reassure us that what we expect to get, is in fact what we get

Fb

This is not a new thing. For hundreds of years various places had a 'yardstick' to make sure that tradesmen weren't underselling people cloth and the like by shortening their yardsticks an inch or two in order to bump up their profit.
If you don't regulate then some will cheat. Simple as that.

Sad, sad world

You're a 'glass half empty' type aren't you

Remember it isn't just to stop cheating. Inaccuracy can be a sign of bad workmanship, poor machinery or pure accident also

Oh, I am *definitely* not a glass half empty type. But I despair at dishonesty in any form

So regulation that reassures you dishonesty has not been practised is good

It is like product branding - you come to trust the brand, just seeing a brand can induce you to pay a little more for it because it has proved trustworthy in the past.

I've polished both e entries a bit more today. I think I'm happy with them now.

I'd like an e blob for this one if possible to save researchers looking in their larder or bin for a wrapper, or heaven forbid use a linked site (as I know that some poor wretches have heavily restricted website access - it it isn't on BBCi it can be problematic)

Pimms

Any more comments?

Pimms

Hi Pimms – yes pretty comprehensive.
I think some of the bullet points are a bit hard to understand, particularly the ones about 2.5% of packages and TNE…

Don’t know if you can break it down a little into more basic English?

Speller

Thanks for commenting Speller

I've added a link that explains TNE and a footnote for a comparison of what 2.5% means in simple quantities. I don't want to change the wording drastically, as it is quoted from the legislation.

Pimms

Everyone happy with this?