Networker

Re: [Networker] 2007 USA Daylight Savings Change

2006-12-14 17:48:08
Subject: Re: [Networker] 2007 USA Daylight Savings Change
From: Tim Mooney <Tim.Mooney AT NDSU DOT EDU>
To: NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU
Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2006 16:38:50 -0600
In regard to: [Networker] 2007 USA Daylight Savings Change, Albert Eddie...:

Many of our applications are going to need PATCHING for the upcoming
modification to US time. Further (y)our locations Outside Continental US
(OCONUS) will need to make changes as well, requiring them to modify any
local software they have developed.

I'm surprised by this.  I would think that most applications would be
able to rely on the OS's handling of timezones and time transition, and
the application itself wouldn't need to know anything more what the OS
is telling it.  I would think that even payroll or timeclock applications
could rely on the OS, and not need to build in logic that hardcodes when
daylight savings time begins or ends.  Most UNIX applications certainly
don't need to have built-in logic for when the transitions happen.

Most recent UNIXes use a compiled (binary) file that describes the
transition, and if you don't want to, you don't have to wait for your
vendor to provide a patch -- you can create the necessary files yourself that
describe the transition, and then compile them into the binary zoneinfo
files.

"man zic" on Solaris or Linux for more info.

Tim
--
Tim Mooney                                           Tim.Mooney AT ndsu DOT edu
Information Technology Services                      (701) 231-1076 (Voice)
Room 242-J6, IACC Building                           (701) 231-8541 (Fax)
North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105-5164

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