Re: [LEAPSECS] Introduction of long term scheduling

From: Zefram <zefram_at_fysh.org>
Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2007 00:25:22 +0000

Poul-Henning Kamp wrote:
>So you think it is appropriate to demand that ever computer with a
>clock should suffer biannual software upgrades if it is not connected
>to a network where it can get NTP or similar service ?

If it's not connected to the network, how is it keeping its clock
synchronised? Suppose that every source of synchronisation also provided
the leap second table. Then the only clocks lacking the table would
be ones that weren't synchronised anyway. A fallback behaviour that
involves not being able to do precise TAI<->UTC conversions might well
be acceptable if the clock itself isn't precise.

The upcoming chip-scale atomic clocks will change this, of course.
They'll allow a disconnected system to maintain precise interval time
over many years.

-zefram
Received on Sat Jan 06 2007 - 16:26:45 PST