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The problem with working (or communicating) with people in other timezones is not simply time conversion. The problem is that they are at a different phase in t

by atleta 5y ago

The problem with working (or communicating) with people in other timezones is not simply time conversion. The problem is that they are at a different phase in their day. So even if you flip everyone to UTC, you'd still have to figure out and understand what the others might be doing over there. The only issue is that now it's harder. Because now it's not enough to know the time difference, you also have to understand (or somehow convert) to their local phase. E.g. if you are just after lunch in the US on the East coast (what used to be 1PM in EST for you but now 5PM UTC for everyone) then you'll now that it's 5PM for your Indian and European colleagues but will have no idea whether they might still be at the office. So you'll have to know when their day starts and ends in UTC. And keep that in your mind. The current system is a lot simpler. You have a rough idea when people sleep and work: it's the same time in their time zone as it is for you in yours. (Unless you are as shifted as e.g. me :) . But even then, the 'normal' people follow a normal schedule.) You just have to convert it to yours. Not that hard.

bellyfullofbac 5y ago
Seems like some people think "The whole world should just change to accomodate me!". I guess they should imagine if the world standardize it but based on e.g. Beijing time, if they'd like to start their work days at what used to be 9PM local, have lunch at what used to be 2AM local, and finish his day at what used to be 6AM local.
- atleta 5y ago
  Well, I think the idea above wasn't that you shift your schedule (relative to the Sun) but that you keep it and get used to that your work day starts at what used to be 9AM but now the clock says it's 9PM. And it would be 9PM at the same time in Beijing, and in London but you'd have to know that 9PM means evening in Beijing and early afternoon in London. Which is a lot harder and a lot more to remember than simply knowing the TZ difference to these two cities. (Because you'd have to remember when the morning starts, when it ends, when afternoon starts, ends, etc. for each timezone.)

by atleta 5y ago

bellyfullofbac 5y ago

Seems like some people think "The whole world should just change to accomodate me!". I guess they should imagine if the world standardize it but based on e.g. Beijing time, if they'd like to start their work days at what used to be 9PM local, have lunch at what used to be 2AM local, and finish his day at what used to be 6AM local.

atleta 5y ago
Well, I think the idea above wasn't that you shift your schedule (relative to the Sun) but that you keep it and get used to that your work day starts at what used to be 9AM but now the clock says it's 9PM. And it would be 9PM at the same time in Beijing, and in London but you'd have to know that 9PM means evening in Beijing and early afternoon in London. Which is a lot harder and a lot more to remember than simply knowing the TZ difference to these two cities. (Because you'd have to remember when the morning starts, when it ends, when afternoon starts, ends, etc. for each timezone.)