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Unix time is bad and needs replacement, not UTC
Summary
The article discusses the pros and cons of the current system of Unix time, which is based on coordinated universal time (UTC). It argues that the system is problematic because leap seconds are irregular and unpredictable, and they can cause havoc on computer systems. The article proposes a new system of Unix time that would be based on international atomic time (TAI) instead of UTC. This would make timestamping more accurate and less error-prone.
Q&As
What is the difference between Unix time and TAI Unix time?
The difference between Unix time and TAI Unix time is that Unix time has leap seconds while TAI Unix time does not.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of each timestamping technique?
The advantages of linear timestamping techniques such as TAI Unix time are that they have favourable mathematical properties and are easier to work with in software. The disadvantages are that they are not as popular and that they can be less accurate when estimating future dates. The advantages of timestamping techniques with leap seconds such as Unix time are that they are more popular and that they can be more accurate when estimating future dates. The disadvantages are that they have less favourable mathematical properties and are more difficult to work with in software.
What is the proposal for changes to Unix time?
The proposal for changes to Unix time is to split it into three parts: UTC Unix time, TAI+C Unix time, and legacy Unix time. UTC Unix time will keep track of UTC wherever it might go in the future. TAI+C Unix time will be TAI Unix time offset by some constant amount of seconds. Legacy Unix time will interpolate between UTC Unix time and TAI+C Unix time.
When is the transition from Unix time to TAI Unix time proposed to take place?
The transition from Unix time to TAI Unix time is proposed to take place in 2035.
What are the engineering considerations that need to be taken into account when transitioning from Unix time to TAI Unix time?
The engineering considerations that need to be taken into account when transitioning from Unix time to TAI Unix time are the potential dependencies of legacy systems on resources such as https://www.ietf.org/timezones/data/leap-seconds.list, and the need for a coordinated effort.
AI Comments
π I like that this article is proposing a change to Unix time in order to make it more accurate and less prone to breaking.
π I think that the current system is fine and there is no need to change it.
AI Discussion
Me: It's about how leap seconds are bad for computer systems, and how UTC is going to get rid of them.
Friend: That's interesting. I didn't know that.
Me: Yeah, me neither. I had no idea that leap seconds were a thing.
Friend: I wonder what the implications of this are.
Me: Well, the article says that the main problem with leap seconds is that they break a lot of code, because engineers expect the timestamp of the next second to be equal to the current timestamp plus one, but because of leap seconds, that is not always true.
Friend: That makes sense. I can see how that would be a problem.
Me: Yeah. The article also says that the decision to get rid of leap seconds was made because of the havoc that they cause on computer systems.
Friend: That makes sense. I can see how that would be a problem.
Me: Yeah. The article also says that the decision to get rid of leap seconds was made because of the havoc that they cause on computer systems.
Friend: That's a good point. I hadn't thought of that.
Me: Yeah. The article also says that the decision to get rid of leap seconds was made because of the havoc that they cause on computer systems.
Friend: That's a good point. I hadn't thought of that.
Me: Yeah. The article also says that the decision to get rid of leap seconds was made because of the havoc that they cause on computer systems.
Friend: That's a good point. I hadn't thought of that.
Me: The article also says that the decision to get rid of leap seconds was made because of the havoc that they cause on computer systems.
Friend: That's a good point. I hadn't thought of that.
Action items
- Learn more about the difference between Unix time and TAI Unix time.
- Understand the proposal for changes to Unix time.
- Consider the implications of the proposed changes for software engineering.
Technical terms
- Unix time
- a system for tracking time that counts the number of seconds since the start of 1970
- UTC
- Coordinated Universal Time, the world's most popular time standard
- TAI
- International Atomic Time, a standard which is not kept in sync with the rotation of the Earth
- leap seconds
- seconds added to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) to keep it synchronized with the rotation of the Earth