Subject: Re: VTIMEZONE and signular TZID

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 12:06:20 -0400

Both Colin and Ross indicated that they would prefer a single definition 
of a time zone. 
By time zone, I assume you mean the definition for a specific geographical 
locale. The definition of that "time zone" definition is outside our 
control. Time zone definitions are the domain of the locale governing 
authority. The registration in the IANA db would have to be open too, for 
other practical reasons (e.g., how can a registrar check the authorization 
of a submission?).
May be we should discuss the registration process and the change control 
process? I have been assuming that it would be the same as is used for the 
MIME multimedia content type registrations.
-- Frank

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From: John Stracke <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 12:39:00 -0400

[email-masked] wrote:

> Time zone definitions are the domain of the locale governing
> authority.

[...]

> May be we should discuss the registration process and the
> change control process? I have been assuming that it would be
> the same as is used for the MIME multimedia content type
> registrations.

It could be close, but it couldn't be exactly the same.  MIME
type registration, like most IETF stuff, is driven by technical
merit; time zone registration is driven by governments
(indirectly, anyway).  Technical merit still comes up, but in a
different way.  If a government changes its time zones, there
must be a new registration done by the time the new rules go into
effect.  Under those circumstances, a technical review can say,
"it doesn't match the new rules correctly; fix this bug", but
not, "let's not register anything".

--
/===============================================================\
|John Stracke    | http://www.ecal.com |My opinions are my own. |
|Chief Scientist |==============================================|
|eCal Corp.      |The Net was designed to survive nukes, but not|
[email-masked]|lawsuits. Wait a minute.                      |
\===============================================================/

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From: Antoine Leca <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 19:05:21 +0200

John Stracke wrote:
> 
> If a government changes its time zones, there must be a new
> registration done by the time the new rules go into effect. 

Certainly. However, I do not expect a lot of "governments"
(large meaning) to prepare submissions. Rather, Olson's database
history is more matter of work from voluntarians; and I cannot
see why things would go another way for the IANA registry
(I hope I guess wrong, though).

> Under those circumstances, a technical review can say,

The current behaviour of the Olson group is a mix (but closer from
the second option): usually, we have:
 - some user (usually not Joe User but rather Carlos Usario or
  Boris Ou... --don't know the word in Russian) complains to
  her/his sysadmin
 - the sysadmin figures from where the problem comes, and
  contacts Arthur Olson
 - Arthur Olson forward the mail from the sysadmin; at this
  point, we are off a few days with regard with the change
 - the group try to figure what the new rules are (looking at
  various sources, reading newspapers, etc.)
 - proposals for changes are submitted
 - ... and discussed, particularly if the change is not obvious
 - sometimes, the change is accepted (meaning that the patch
  is applied to the database and Arthur Olson issues a new version;
  but sometimes, the change is not accepted at all, and nothing
  is changed until next user complains...

Other ways to make changes are:
 - informations collected by regulars in newspapers or similar
  resources
 - the bi-annual IATA (Planes' Agency) almanach always have new
  informations about timezones
 - also CIA or Naval Observatory issue(d) almaanch with these
  informations

Antoine

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From: Doug Royer <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 12:04:16 -0700

[email-masked] wrote:
> 
> Both Colin and Ross indicated that they would prefer a single
> definition of a time zone.

I understood the email to say - throw away the old names.

> authority. The registration in the IANA db would have to be open too,
> for other practical reasons (e.g., how can a registrar check the
> authorization of a submission?).

True. Do we keep the old names also?

> MIME multimedia content type registrations.

Needed.

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From: Doug Royer <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 12:06:23 -0700

> (I hope I guess wrong, though).

The same.