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I replaced all the wall clocks in my house with ones that set themselves from the NIST radio broadcast. My computers (and presumably phone) are all ntp based. N

I replaced all the wall clocks in my house with ones that set themselves from the NIST radio broadcast. My computers (and presumably phone) are all ntp based. None of those require firmware updates. It's quite nice to never mess with the clocks and have everything just be correct.

isostatic 8y ago
NTP gives you accurate time in UTC. It doesn't tell you how many hours you're offset from UTC. Databases like tzdata do that, and they have half a dozen updates every year.
- deaps 8y ago
  Well yeah, but then you tell your devices that you're UTC-4, and when it receives the NTP update, it just automatically subtracts 4 hours. Or, like in the case of most phones, GPS-enabled devices know what time zone you're currently in, and then automatically adjust accordingly.
  - isostatic 8y ago
    Your device from 2005 that hasn't received a firmware update will show the wrong time if you're in New York. GPS does not contain your current timezone, like NTP it gives out UTC. The reason your phone (that's set to use "New York" as a timezone) knows to change the UTC offset from -4 to 05 on the first Sunday of November is because it has received a firmware update at some point since 2006. A standalone device from before 2006 can not know that the spring forward/fall back dates in the US changed, unless it's updated. Your statement "None of those require firmware updates. It's quite nice to never mess with the clocks and have everything just be correct" seems naive at best.
    - deaps 8y ago
      > The reason your phone (that's set to use "New York" as a timezone) knows to change the UTC offset from -4 to 05 on the first Sunday of November is because it has received a firmware update at some point since 2006. A standalone device from before 2006 can not know that the spring forward/fall back dates in the US changed, unless it's updated. Fair enough, good point - I didn't think about that. > Your statement "None of those require firmware updates. It's quite nice to never mess with the clocks and have everything just be correct" seems naive at best. I never said that, possibly you're replying to a different person than intended.
sls 8y ago
You may wish to know that the current executive budget proposal would shutter the NIST time radio broadcasts (WWV, WWVH, and WWVB)[1][2][3]. [1] https://swling.com/blog/2018/08/information-from-the-nist-regarding-possible-closure-wwv-radio-stations/ https://swling.com/blog/2018/08/information-from-the-nist-re... [2] https://www.kb6nu.com/nist-to-shutter-wwv-wwvh-wwvb/ https://www.kb6nu.com/nist-to-shutter-wwv-wwvh-wwvb/ [3] https://www.nist.gov/director/fy-2019-presidential-budget-request-summary/fundamental-measurement-quantum-science-and https://www.nist.gov/director/fy-2019-presidential-budget-re... "Illustrative program reductions in FY 2019 -$6.3 million supporting fundamental measurement dissemination, including the shutdown of NIST radio stations in Colorado and Hawaii"

isostatic 8y ago

NTP gives you accurate time in UTC. It doesn't tell you how many hours you're offset from UTC. Databases like tzdata do that, and they have half a dozen updates every year.

deaps 8y ago
Well yeah, but then you tell your devices that you're UTC-4, and when it receives the NTP update, it just automatically subtracts 4 hours. Or, like in the case of most phones, GPS-enabled devices know what time zone you're currently in, and then automatically adjust accordingly.
- isostatic 8y ago
  Your device from 2005 that hasn't received a firmware update will show the wrong time if you're in New York. GPS does not contain your current timezone, like NTP it gives out UTC. The reason your phone (that's set to use "New York" as a timezone) knows to change the UTC offset from -4 to 05 on the first Sunday of November is because it has received a firmware update at some point since 2006. A standalone device from before 2006 can not know that the spring forward/fall back dates in the US changed, unless it's updated. Your statement "None of those require firmware updates. It's quite nice to never mess with the clocks and have everything just be correct" seems naive at best.
  - deaps 8y ago
    > The reason your phone (that's set to use "New York" as a timezone) knows to change the UTC offset from -4 to 05 on the first Sunday of November is because it has received a firmware update at some point since 2006. A standalone device from before 2006 can not know that the spring forward/fall back dates in the US changed, unless it's updated. Fair enough, good point - I didn't think about that. > Your statement "None of those require firmware updates. It's quite nice to never mess with the clocks and have everything just be correct" seems naive at best. I never said that, possibly you're replying to a different person than intended.

sls 8y ago

You may wish to know that the current executive budget proposal would shutter the NIST time radio broadcasts (WWV, WWVH, and WWVB)[1][2][3]. [1] https://swling.com/blog/2018/08/information-from-the-nist-regarding-possible-closure-wwv-radio-stations/ https://swling.com/blog/2018/08/information-from-the-nist-re... [2] https://www.kb6nu.com/nist-to-shutter-wwv-wwvh-wwvb/ https://www.kb6nu.com/nist-to-shutter-wwv-wwvh-wwvb/ [3] https://www.nist.gov/director/fy-2019-presidential-budget-request-summary/fundamental-measurement-quantum-science-and https://www.nist.gov/director/fy-2019-presidential-budget-re... "Illustrative program reductions in FY 2019 -$6.3 million supporting fundamental measurement dissemination, including the shutdown of NIST radio stations in Colorado and Hawaii"