Markus G. Kuhn wrote:
[snip]
Why is the abbreviation for Coordinated Universal Time "UTC" instead of "CUT"?
In 1970 the Coordinated Universal Time system was devised by an international advisory group of technical experts within the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The ITU felt it was best to designate a single abbreviation for use in all languages in order to minimize confusion. Since unanimous agreement could not be achieved on using either the English word order, CUT, or the French word order, TUC, a compromise of using neither, UTC, was adopted. [snip]
I had also heard that the Dutch didn't like it since it's pronounced like their word "kut" which means the same as a similar to an English word containing an 'n'. (Rather like the Germans objecting to the Anglo-French compromise of ECU in financial circles.)
[snip]
Even though the reference standard has changed a few times since then, the public continues to call it `GMT'.
I feel, GMT is only widely known in English speaking countries. In Germany for instance, the term Weltzeit (translates as "world time" or may be "universal time") is usualy used (for example on shortwave radio, Deutsche Welle ~6.1 MHz) and the time zone map that you'll find in geography school books and for example in the information booklets in every Lufthansa plane say UTC and not GMT.
Dear Markus, I have a great respect for your wisdom and knowledge, but there are other references on this planet than the Official German Time Office (who convinced you that CET and CEST were the correct abbreviations) and the German Airline. In order to be just as patriotically parochial, might I point out that the BBC World Service, (the world reference for broadcasting quality :-) ) with an audience of hundreds of millions all over the world, a very large percentage of whom do not have English as their first language, only ever gives time in 'GMT'. Most of its audience has never heard of UTC as is the case for a large proportion of the English-speaking world - just pop down your Purdue corridor and ask a handful of people (not involved in this sort of thing) what the "official" name for International Time is. (Ignore those who reply "Eastern Standard Time"!) The French, by the way, generally refer, still, to TU. (Coordine ou pas!).
I would exchange GMT for UTC as in the patch below. This patch also removes UCT, assuming that this is the abbreviation for "Universal Coordinated Time", something I have never encountered outside the etcetera file.
I'd leave GMT as it is. UCT, I agree, should be buried. Pete -- Peter H.C. Hullah Technical Services mailto:Peter.Hullah@eurocontrol.fr EUROCONTROL Experimental Centre Phone: +33 1 69 88 75 49 BP 15, Rue des Bordes, Fax: +33 1 60 85 15 04 91222 BRETIGNY SUR ORGE CEDEX France