Author Topic: An important question for all Americans... (Read 1615 times)

Dowding · « **on:** October 01, 2001, 03:08:00 PM »

...why do you write your dates backwards?

Most other countries write it day/month/year - i.e. logically.

Yet you write it month/day/year. Is there some kind of historical reason?

I was writing an SQL statement in MS-Access and it was a pain in the arse for it to interogate my database, because SQL only uses American dates. I worked it out eventually, but still... why?

I demand to be told.

Eagler · « **Reply #1 on:** October 01, 2001, 03:11:00 PM »

because it's easier??

it's easier to say April 15th, 1959 than to say the 15th day of April in the year of 1959

AKDejaVu · « **Reply #2 on:** October 01, 2001, 03:13:00 PM »

Why do you guys drive on the wrong side of the road when the rest of Europe does it the other way? Oh.. and the rest of the world that wasn't colonized by y'all

AKDejaVu

Dowding · « **Reply #3 on:** October 01, 2001, 03:22:00 PM »

Touche.

But while April 15th 1959 is fine by me (isn't that much different from 15th of April 1959), why the 4/15/59 malarkey? It makes it very difficult for easily confused Europeans.

Just wondered if there was an historical reason. Like it was decreed as a point of defiance in that constitution thing you are fond of.

AKSWulfe · « **Reply #4 on:** October 01, 2001, 03:56:00 PM »

Because Dowding, it's very easy really..

04(small number)/25(big number)/2001(even bigger)

April 25th, 2001

Granted, not all the time will the first number be smaller- but considering it starts with 1 and ends at 12 while days start at 1 and could end anywhere from 27 to 31, it makes more sense, since it has the potential to be a larger number.

Besides 25/04/2001 just looks funny.

(Honestly, I do not know)
-SW

[ 10-01-2001: Message edited by: SWulfe ]

leonid · « **Reply #5 on:** October 01, 2001, 04:05:00 PM »

Got me Dowding. I like the logic of day-month-year myself, and besides '9 May 1945' just looks cooler

Rocket · « **Reply #6 on:** October 01, 2001, 04:18:00 PM »

Because when we won the war of Freedom from the Great Opressors.(American Revolutionary War). We decided we weren't going to use something that those damn brits used.

Rocket

miko2d · « **Reply #7 on:** October 01, 2001, 04:38:00 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Dowding:
...why do you write your dates backwards?

I wish it was the least of our problems...

miko

hitech · « **Reply #8 on:** October 01, 2001, 04:54:00 PM »

Me being the math guy it makes more since to Year/M/D Just like any other number most significant to least but alas I don't belive
I have a change of getting it changed.

Dinger · « **Reply #9 on:** October 01, 2001, 06:48:00 PM »

We as Americans seem to love the Anglo-Saxon genitive. If you doubt me, just glance through the posts here and note every time someone mistakes the Anglo-Saxon genitive for the plural. (you know, the guys who say: "We're gonna nuke the hell out of those darn Afghani's" instead of "What beef do we have with the Afghanis?")
So April 15th, 2001 is easier for us to swallow than 15th of April, 2001.
Frankly, I prefer using Roman numerals to indicate the month, as in:
1-X-2001

Lizard3 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 01, 2001, 07:24:00 PM »

Long time ago in Navy boot camp I was taught to use day month year, with the month in written form, in all official log books and such.

Skuzzy · « **Reply #11 on:** October 01, 2001, 07:37:00 PM »

I'm with HT on this one. Try sorting a database by the date, if the date is not in YY/MM/DD format. Oy,..the headaches.

AKDejaVu · « **Reply #12 on:** October 01, 2001, 08:15:00 PM »

Quote

Me being the math guy it makes more since to Year/M/D Just like any other number most significant to least but alas I don't belive
I have a change of getting it changed.

HiTech,

Sometimes I read your posts and am completely amazed that you wrote anything as wonderful as AH. Not so much that you aren't capable of it... just that it would have been done 80% faster if you didn't have to go back and check for typos.

AKDejaVu

now back on topic...

capt. apathy · « **Reply #13 on:** October 01, 2001, 08:52:00 PM »

We don't write our dates like you guys for the same reason we don't use the metric system. We don't have to and we kinda like it when we annoy people.

Snoopi · « **Reply #14 on:** October 01, 2001, 10:53:00 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Rocket:
Because when we won the war of Freedom from the Great Opressors.(American Revolutionary War). We decided we weren't going to use something that those damn brits used.

Rocket

That must explain why U.S.citizens won't write or speak ENGLISH.

Dowding: technically speaking, anyone who lives in North America, Central America or South America are "Americans".
Maybe we should start using the term "United Statesians" err "United Statesei" ? hmmm....

[ 10-01-2001: Message edited by: Snoopi ]