On Thu 2012-05-17T21:31:10 -0400, Andrew Paprocki hath writ:
I was under the impression WRC-12 was discussing a proposal to eliminate leap seconds, redefining UTC, and that is what was tabled to the WRC-15 agenda.
During the past 10 years the proposals have been to change the characteristics of the broadcast time scale while retaining the name UTC.
Potential changes to the UTC standard do not seem relevant when discussing the use of both "GMT" and "UTC" in the same definition of a field in the tz file format.
The text of agenda item 1.14 is 1.14 to consider the feasibility of achieving a continuous reference time-scale, whether by the modification of coordinated universal time (UTC) or some other method, and take appropriate action, in accordance with Resolution 653 [COM6/20] (WRC-12) This wording invites the possibility of changing both the characteristics and the name of the internationally-approved broadcast time scale if that is the expedient means of achieving the change needed for technical purposes. It seems imprudent to change the name of the functions in the tzcode if in three years the name of the broadcast time scale might change to something other than UTC.
This implies to me that "utc" should be used in the field name, to match the existing definition next to it which states "UTC".
Except that the implementation of zoneinfo is based on the POSIX notion of UTC, and that is incongruent with the ITU-R notion of UTC. This is similar to other aspects of zoneinfo where authority and practice differ due to Byzantine bureaucratic processes run by hot-headed folks with entrenched but opposing positions. No action taken by the tz list can solve the fundamental problem nor avoid confusion in actual practice. -- Steve Allen <sla@ucolick.org> WGS-84 (GPS) UCO/Lick Observatory--ISB Natural Sciences II, Room 165 Lat +36.99855 1156 High Street Voice: +1 831 459 3046 Lng -122.06015 Santa Cruz, CA 95064 http://www.ucolick.org/~sla/ Hgt +250 m