Re: [LEAPSECS] what time is it, legally?

From: M. Warner Losh <imp_at_BSDIMP.COM>
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2006 13:57:23 -0700 (MST)

I view the same data differently. I see it as a progression:

Local Solar time -> mean local solar time ->
      timezone as mean local time at one point used for many -> UTC -> ???

Clearly, we're moving away from solar time and towards something else.
Our ability to tell time has exceeded the earth's ability to be
perfectly periodic. The time will come when we need to change
something as the current system is doomed to failure, sooner or
later. I feel that attempts to tie time to the sun and to also have a
precice notion of a second are fundamentally at odds with one another
and the current system tries very hard to paper over the differences.
No doubt they can be papered over for years to come, but the basic
physics of platentary rotation with a large satellite stand against
it. I'm unsure what that "something else" should be, and I'm not sure
that we're in a good position to know with certainty what would be a
good solution. I just know that invoking variable radix counting
schemes has its limitations and difficulties...

Anyway, I know others view it differently, but if it was easy and
obvious there wouldn't be such a divergence of opinion, eh?

Warner
Received on Tue Dec 12 2006 - 12:58:19 PST