On 12/9/2011 1:17 PM, Guy Harris wrote:
Who are the "users" of the time zone database? The time zone names are not intended to be directly presented to users other than UN*X command-line users who are directly setting the TZ environment variable.
Maybe this should be better explained to developers who write time zone selection tools. Also, a map with points corresponding to only the cities has the same problem as presenting the names. Really, the shape data should be incorporated into the project. (along with some guidance on what to do when shape data causes problems for disputed borders... which may not be a problem for the project itself, but can be for distributors; Microsoft ran into this with a disputed border and Windows 95 was almost banned in India.)
Perhaps there should also be a database giving names to tz database entries for human use - to use your earlier example, "Beijing, Chongqing, HongKong, Urumuqi" for Asia/{whatever city is used}
In fact, such a database does exist, and Asia/Shanghai's entry in it is "CN / east China - Beijing, Guangdong, Shanghai, etc." (And, incidentally, Chongqing, Hong_Kong, and Urmuqui are all separate timezones, so I think you misunderstood something)