And You Thought The Early Daylight Savings Chaos Had Passed…

from the snooze dept

We all seemed to manage to survive the early daylight savings switch a few weeks ago, despite the predictions of aclockalypse. But, just when you thought everything was okay, you’d better start stockpiling water, canned goods and toilet paper, since older devices might shift an hour ahead on Sunday morning, since it’s the old date for the spring forward. So make sure your coffee pot is properly set, and heed the advice of USA Today to double-check those meeting times for a few weeks. Hopefully we’ll see everybody safe and sound Monday morning.


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Comments on “And You Thought The Early Daylight Savings Chaos Had Passed…”

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36 Comments
insomniac4104 says:

Re: Re:

That would make one nasty April fools joke. Lets hope windows patch actually works and wasn’t a quick fix. As I understand unix and linux use UTC time so they are in no danger. But as far as Lotus Notes goes I am not confident there “patch” works since it made an entirely new calendar for DST.

David Dove says:

Re: Re: DST 2007 redux

Folks, Just about ALL servers use UTC time and most workstations have an NTP client installed as part of the OS. I just remediated all of the systems for a branch of Connecticut’s state government prior to DST2007. The CLIENT must have the DST patch (which modifies the timezone files – just like Unix) or the CLIENT will misinterpret the date and time. It does not matter which OS the client is running, it is the workstation’s responsibility to interpret the data.

As for the calendar entries, many vendors (including Microsoft) provided “rebasing” tools. Microsoft’s tool was a joke since it required you to have dedicated workstations with priv’d access cycle through EVERY user’s mailbox. My first run for 2000 people took over 12 hours. The performance of the tool improved one week before DST2007 but by that point it was too little too late.

Wizard Prang (user link) says:

Re: Re: Re: Relax... don't do it.

I don’t like it either (loose/lose, their/they’re/there, to/too and don’t get me started on the misuse of the apostrophe)… but if bad grammar offends you that much then you are in the wrong place.

For some, English is a second language. Others type faster than their brains can catch up or can’t be bothered to preview/proofread. Still others don’t care. And AFAICS there is no “edit” option even if they wanted to fix things afterwards.

It’s a whole new frontier; no place for the thin-skinned. Relax…

Lawrence D'Oliveiro says:

UTC

It’s not just that Linux and Unix use UTC time, but that they have a systemwide timezone database (zoneinfo) that (nearly) all apps use, instead of inventing their own systems for keeping track of timezones and daylight saving. Thus, a single update to this database is generally enough to get your apps to work with the updated rules.

Also, it’s very easy to test the rules, using standard tools like the date command, to ensure that they’re correct beforehand.

EdB (user link) says:

Oh good. I live in a state that doesn’t do that stupid stuff, but my damned computer insists on shifting an hour every time I turn it back on. Since that only happens a couple of times a week I’m still falling for “wow it’s late”. So maybe tomorrow the stupid box will fall back in line and trust me when I tell it what time it is.

simon says:

internet time servers

even since windows xp, there is a time synchronization of the system to 1 of the 2 time server existent, which, if u set correct time zone on pc problem should be fixed only on the time servers, pretty easy job, but if pc is not connected to internet, or time synchronization is not enabled, all you need is to correct time yourself in the morning after pc will push time ahead 1 hour, since is programed to do so.

for win 2000 and early windows systems, users should check out and change system time (really easy job) but again, people this days, tend to let them selfs controlled by technology, and not vice-versa…

ps. just trust better the wrist watch you carry or just use this problem as argument on being late on meetings

Araemo says:

Re: internet time servers

“even since windows xp, there is a time synchronization of the system to 1 of the 2 time server existent, which, if u set correct time zone on pc problem should be fixed only on the time servers, pretty easy job, but if pc is not connected to internet, or time synchronization is not enabled, all you need is to correct time yourself in the morning after pc will push time ahead 1 hour, since is programed to do so.”

3 things:
1: There are many more than 2 time servers. Windows only has two listed(you can type in any time server you know of though.)
2: The time servers distribute time in UTC. Your computer then converts that to your local time based on the timezone info, which on windows XP, requires a patch(that has been out since November, and shows up on windows update if you don’t have it) to correctly adjust for daylight savings time 3 weeks early this year.
3: Microsoft has released info on how to fix the timezone info on windows 2000, and once you follow microsoft’s instructions, windows 2000 will update for daylight savings time correctly.

Ayal Rosenthal (user link) says:

Does any of this actually matter

I’m curious if the costs will ever outway the benefits. Farmers wake up at sun-rise regardless of when we say sun-rise is. There may be some energy savings for companies that don’t turn their lights on, but the costs have been tremendous to get us to where we are and of the savings don’t materialize then its been a good waste of our nations resources. Thanks G-dub

Anonymous Coward says:

Re: Does any of this actually matter

That is the whole point, this is a test. If the change doesn’t save enough energy and/or it is too annoying then we will go back to the old schedule.

Personally I hope we keep this new schedule. I live far enough north that during the winter the sun sets before I leave work. It is so NICE to go home in the evening and still have some daylight left.

angry hoosier says:

For 35 years we in Indiana didn’t have to even care about this idiotic nonsense of pretending one day is 25 hours long and another is 23 hours long just because every other dimwit state thinks it’s a good idea.

God only knows what they are hoping to achieve because in today’s air-conditioned society I can guarantee you that it doesn’t save any energy. Everyone leaves their efficiently cooled offices and fires up their inefficient home air conditioners.

Thanks to our brain-dead governor we are stuck with this bs. Oh well, I guess the Indiana Republicans don’t need my vote anymore. I’m a morning person and I hate it.

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