Steve Summit wrote:
If the TZ project isn't already deprecating timezone and tm_isdst, should it be, and how strongly, and using what language in which documents?
Good question. Proposed patch attached.
And what about POSIX? Is there any way of getting them to deprecate those inadequate old interfaces, and perhaps standardize tm_gmtoff while they're at it?
Sure, one can file bug reports and join the committee and discuss. It's the usual committee thing. In my experience the POSIX folks are quite reasonable. It does take time, though.
Do we know how many programs are using timezone and tm_isdst (and the variable that says "this zone observes DST sometimes", and the other difficult API bits we've been discussing here)? Do we know why they think they have to use them? Is there guidance we can give them to help wean them off them?
They're used mostly because of inertia and/or inexperience, I think. The proposed patch attempts to give guidance.