Re: [LEAPSECS] A lurker surfaces

From: M. Warner Losh <imp_at_BSDIMP.COM>
Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2006 00:41:37 -0700 (MST)

In message: <4CF2642E-FBA9-4E52-A013-A65B0E2439B7_at_noao.edu>
            Rob Seaman <seaman_at_noao.edu> writes:
: Just a reminder that UTC has no - none - nada - discontinuities.

At the very least, the TAI-UTC difference is discontinuous with jumps
at the leap seconds. One could easily suggest that 'UTC has
discontinuities' really is a shorthand way of saying this. One could
also call them irregularities, like the time scale is constipated, as
well.

And the variable radix seems to be to be a crude way to define away
the problem. You never know, unless you look it up in a table, when
to do the variation in the radix.

: Various computer mis-implementations may, but the standard is very
: carefully constructed to avoid spring-forward or fall-back gaps or do-
: overs.

Well, if you count the variable radix notation as being 'continuous'
then maybe you are right. However, you never know when the radix is
variable, hence the assertion on many people's part that UTC is
discontinuous.

Warner
Received on Sun Dec 31 2006 - 01:50:28 PST