5 ms·

Devney mentions that she is focusing only on IANA timezones. See a list here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tz_database_time_zones https://en.wikipedia.o

by sb8244 10y ago

Devney mentions that she is focusing only on IANA timezones. See a list here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tz_database_time_zones https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tz_database_time_zones America/Detroit is a valid IANA timezone. Eastern is not. Edit: Etzos has pointed out that US/Eastern is on the list. Thanks for correction.

Etzos 10y ago
You'll notice that list includes US/Eastern which links to America/New_York as the correct "standard" for that timezone. Edit: Just want to clarify that "Eastern" and others are indeed on that list and everywhere I've needed them have worked in place of the physical location equivalent. The physical locations, however, are the standard for the respective timezones--I am not commenting on the correctness of the GP post.
- sb8244 10y ago
  Thank you, I missed that. I have noted your correction in my comment.
wang_li 10y ago
Ah. I missed that while skimming through the page. I was primarily responding to the statement made that "they are also called “time zones” in casual conversation." They are time zones in the official sense of the word. Speaking as if the Olson tz database is authoritative and official reminds me of when some small country cancelled summer time with only a few days notice and our OS vendors were not going to be putting out a patch in time. While explaining the process of downloading the Olson tz database and updating systems manually, a coworker asked who gave them (the country's government) permission to cancel DST. It took longer than it should have for me to come up with an explanation that sovereign countries don't need permission from the Internet or OS vendors to change their laws and regulations. The computers track the government actions, not the other way around.
- zigg 10y ago
  While you're right that countries don't need permission to change their timekeeping, they should be fully informed of the technical trouble they're creating when they make changes.
- kps 10y ago
  > some small country cancelled summer time with only a few days notice Egypt just did that. - In April, Egypt announced daylight time would start July 7. http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/0/204655/Egypt/0/Daylight-savings-time-in-Egypt-postponed-to--July.aspx http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/0/204655/Egypt/0/D... - On June 30, Egypt decided daylight time would start July 5. http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/232199/Egypt/Politics-/Daylight-savings-time-to-start-on--July-Minister.aspx http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/232199/Egypt/Po... - On July 4, Egypt decided not to have daylight time. http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/232478/Egypt/Politics-/Egypts-cabinet-abolishes-daylight-saving-time.aspx http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/232478/Egypt/Po...

by sb8244 10y ago

Etzos 10y ago

You'll notice that list includes US/Eastern which links to America/New_York as the correct "standard" for that timezone. Edit: Just want to clarify that "Eastern" and others are indeed on that list and everywhere I've needed them have worked in place of the physical location equivalent. The physical locations, however, are the standard for the respective timezones--I am not commenting on the correctness of the GP post.

sb8244 10y ago
Thank you, I missed that. I have noted your correction in my comment.

wang_li 10y ago

Ah. I missed that while skimming through the page. I was primarily responding to the statement made that "they are also called “time zones” in casual conversation." They are time zones in the official sense of the word. Speaking as if the Olson tz database is authoritative and official reminds me of when some small country cancelled summer time with only a few days notice and our OS vendors were not going to be putting out a patch in time. While explaining the process of downloading the Olson tz database and updating systems manually, a coworker asked who gave them (the country's government) permission to cancel DST. It took longer than it should have for me to come up with an explanation that sovereign countries don't need permission from the Internet or OS vendors to change their laws and regulations. The computers track the government actions, not the other way around.

zigg 10y ago
While you're right that countries don't need permission to change their timekeeping, they should be fully informed of the technical trouble they're creating when they make changes.
kps 10y ago
> some small country cancelled summer time with only a few days notice Egypt just did that. - In April, Egypt announced daylight time would start July 7. http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/0/204655/Egypt/0/Daylight-savings-time-in-Egypt-postponed-to--July.aspx http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/0/204655/Egypt/0/D... - On June 30, Egypt decided daylight time would start July 5. http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/232199/Egypt/Politics-/Daylight-savings-time-to-start-on--July-Minister.aspx http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/232199/Egypt/Po... - On July 4, Egypt decided not to have daylight time. http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/232478/Egypt/Politics-/Egypts-cabinet-abolishes-daylight-saving-time.aspx http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/232478/Egypt/Po...