[LEAPSECS] Time math libraries, UTC to TAI

[John Sauter]

On Sun, 2016-12-25 at 19:37 -0700, Warner Losh wrote:
> > I agree that POSIX defines its own time scale for time_t, but that
> > is
> > not how it is being used.  Everyone sets their computer’s clock to
> > UTC,
> > no matter what the standard says, and no matter how many seconds
> > have
> > passed since 1970-01-01T00:00:00Z.
> 
> I think that POSIX has de-facto redefined UTC, and it's time that the
> UTC standard catch up to this quiet revolution. Standards are
> important, but UTC isn't sacrosanct, nor is DUT1 < 0.9s. When they
> took a pass at defining a model that reflected reality, the
> pervasiveness of time_t has effectively redefined UTC. It's too late
> to redefine the standard, or define a new standard to use: that ship
> sailed sometime in the 80's.
> 
> Warner

I disagree completely.  I consider UTC superior to POSIX.  It is POSIX
that must change to conform to UTC, not UTC that must change to conform
to POSIX.  While it is too late to redefine time_t, it is not too late
to stop using it in favor of something better, and that something
better is the tm structure.
    John Sauter (John_Sauter at systemeyescomputerstore.com)
-- 
PGP fingerprint E24A D25B E5FE 4914 A603  49EC 7030 3EA1 9A0B 511E
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