Normatively citing the TZ database
I'm writing a specification for a language (the Call Processing Language, for user-specific routing of telephone calls) which needs to support the users' time zones for time-of-day routing. (The current draft is available at <http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~lennox/draft-ietf-iptel-cpl-07.txt> for those who are interested.) The draft includes the following paragraph: While "tzid" labels that do not begin with a forward slash are locally defined, it is RECOMMENDED that servers support at least the naming scheme used by Olson Time Zone database [9]. Examples of timezone databases that use the Olson scheme are the zoneinfo files on most Unix-like systems, and the standard Java TimeZone class. Currently reference [9] refers to <http://www.twinsun.com/tz/tz-link.htm>, which is tz-link.htm from tzcode. I've been asked, though, whether this is the best way to make reference to the TZ database; and I have to concede that it might not be, since it's dependent on Twinsun's continuing support. What would mailing list members suggest is the best (most canonical, most stable) way of referencing the TZ database? -- Jonathan Lennox lennox at cs dot columbia dot edu
On Tue, Aug 05, 2003 at 05:05:31PM -0400, Jonathan Lennox wrote:
Currently reference [9] refers to <http://www.twinsun.com/tz/tz-link.htm>, which is tz-link.htm from tzcode. I've been asked, though, whether this is the best way to make reference to the TZ database; and I have to concede that it might not be, since it's dependent on Twinsun's continuing support.
What would mailing list members suggest is the best (most canonical, most stable) way of referencing the TZ database?
How about: http://www.google.com/search?btnI=I%27m+Feeling+Lucky&q=Sources+for+Time+Zon... ? --Ken Pizzini
At Tue, 5 Aug 2003 17:05:31 -0400, Jonathan Lennox <lennox@cs.columbia.edu> writes:
Currently reference [9] refers to <http://www.twinsun.com/tz/tz-link.htm>, which is tz-link.htm from tzcode. I've been asked, though, whether this is the best way to make reference to the TZ database; and I have to concede that it might not be, since it's dependent on Twinsun's continuing support.
The only other plausible reference would be to <ftp://elsie.nci.nih.gov/pub/>, but that's a little more forbidding to non-experts. In theory the elsie URL has the same problem as the twinsun URL, as the elsie URL depends on NCI's continuing support; but it has been around longer. You might consider including both URLs.
Have you considered establishing an IANA registry? I have not talked to the IANA folks, but this might seem the longest-term solution. I'd be happy to make the necessary inquiries if there's interest. Paul Eggert wrote:
At Tue, 5 Aug 2003 17:05:31 -0400, Jonathan Lennox <lennox@cs.columbia.edu> writes:
Currently reference [9] refers to <http://www.twinsun.com/tz/tz-link.htm>, which is tz-link.htm from tzcode. I've been asked, though, whether this is the best way to make reference to the TZ database; and I have to concede that it might not be, since it's dependent on Twinsun's continuing support.
The only other plausible reference would be to <ftp://elsie.nci.nih.gov/pub/>, but that's a little more forbidding to non-experts. In theory the elsie URL has the same problem as the twinsun URL, as the elsie URL depends on NCI's continuing support; but it has been around longer.
You might consider including both URLs.
At Sun, 31 Aug 2003 08:45:01 -0400, Henning Schulzrinne <hgs@cs.columbia.edu> writes:
Have you considered establishing an IANA registry?
No, I haven't. That might be reasonable. But how would it work exactly? I'm afraid that none of us have a lot of time to devote to bureaucracy.
I've sent an informal query to IANA. I doubt anything will come of it, but I'll keep you posted. Paul Eggert wrote:
At Sun, 31 Aug 2003 08:45:01 -0400, Henning Schulzrinne <hgs@cs.columbia.edu> writes:
Have you considered establishing an IANA registry?
No, I haven't. That might be reasonable. But how would it work exactly? I'm afraid that none of us have a lot of time to devote to bureaucracy.
participants (4)
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Henning Schulzrinne -
Jonathan Lennox -
Ken Pizzini -
Paul Eggert