General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: DA98 on September 27, 2002, 10:11:45 PM
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: DA98 on September 27, 2002, 10:11:45 PM
Sometimes it's difficult for us, poor Euroland guys, to dechiper the exact time at wich events or registration periods start, with all that time zones chaos you have over there ;). Would it be possible to post both UTC and local times when announcing an event? It would make life easier for some of us...
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: m0m0yama on September 28, 2002, 03:32:06 AM
more difficult situation for us, from pac-rim... events usually start at am 4 or around here, and who can join at that time:( grrr
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: fullback on September 28, 2002, 05:02:30 AM
And let's stir in the fact that Daylight Saving Time changes (or doesn't) at different times in different countries (and within the same country).
Isn't a flight sim the perfect place to introduce non-pilots to the concept of zulu time. Even those who have only recently soloed (hint) should agree with that...;)
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: Flossy on September 28, 2002, 05:07:09 AM
m0m0yama, have you tried flying in the Wednesday SnapShots? They start at 10.00 pm Eastern time, which I believe is 7.00 pm Pacific time? (12 noon Thursday? OK, not good if you work). Or the Friday TOD (ask in TOD forum about being a Guest if not in a participating squad) which starts an hour later at 11.00 pm Eastern time, 8.00 pm Pacific? (1.00 pm Saturday, might be doable?) It is impossible to please everybody, but we're having a good try! :D
[edit]Ah, just noticed you are in Japan, which I believe is 14 hours ahead of Eastern time? In that case, what about the Saturday CAP? That starts at 6.00 pm Eastern, which would be 8.00 am Sunday morning for you, I think? At least it is not as bad as 4.00 am! :) Japan time added to above paragraph, in italics. [/edit]
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: Flossy on September 28, 2002, 05:27:29 AM
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Originally posted by fullback And let's stir in the fact that Daylight Saving Time changes (or doesn't) at different times in different countries (and within the same country).
Yes, the changes in Daylight Savings Time are always a problem, but I am hoping to keep on top of when each time-zone changes this time so that I can alert anyone affected by temporary differences. I do know that both the UK and US go back an hour on October 27th, but I don't know about Europe or any other time-zones.... I have a feeling Europe is usually a few weeks earlier, possibly tomorrow? Anybody in the CET time-zone know? Otherwise I will find out when my watch suddenly loses an hour, being updated by the German time-signal! :D
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Isn't a flight sim the perfect place to introduce non-pilots to the concept of zulu time. Even those who have only recently soloed (hint) should agree with that...;)
Yeah, that would be the ideal answer, I think... :)
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: beet1e on September 28, 2002, 05:42:41 AM
This very board confuses GMT with the local time in London. While they are the same in the winter months, GMT is an hour behind local time during the summer. When I post this message, the time will be 1145 local in London, 1045 GMT.
Real pilots use UTC - also known as Zulu, which is the same as GMT, all year round. I mention this because I have known events to get messed up by people arriving an hour late.
PS - the AH server clock is about three minutes slow. My PC clock is synchronised using the Atomic Clock Synch utility. :cool:
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: Revvin on September 28, 2002, 06:03:18 AM
Beet1e is our squad event time decipherer :)
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: Flossy on September 28, 2002, 06:23:09 AM
I particularly want to be aware of when CET goes back an hour, because, when it went forward, a certain person who shall remain nameless gave me a hard time for starting an event at the incorrect time! :rolleyes: I would like to avoid any repetition! :D :p
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: Revvin on September 28, 2002, 06:28:22 AM
Put Beet1e's home telephone number on the events web page, we can use him as a speaking clock service ;)
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: Flossy on September 28, 2002, 06:34:15 AM
LOL! :D
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: beet1e on September 28, 2002, 06:39:31 AM
At the third stroke, the time sponsored by Accurist will be Lunch time!
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: fullback on September 28, 2002, 09:32:37 AM
Actually, Japan is currently 13 hours ahead of EDT! See how confusing it is flossy LOL?! Japan does not have Daylight Saving Time and most internet javascript clocks are wrong.
During Midway, it will be EST (Eastern Standard Time), so Japan will be 14 hours ahead. 3PM EST in November will be 5AM (next day) for those of us in Japan.
Now, Aussies and Kiwis change in reverse because their seasons are opposite Northern Hemisphere seasons.
I still think zulu is best. btw - I think you'll find that zulu is not the same as GMT. Zulu is UTC and constant. GMT is not constant.
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: Flossy on September 28, 2002, 09:42:24 AM
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Originally posted by fullback Actually, Japan is currently 13 hours ahead of EDT! See how confusing it is flossy LOL?! Japan does not have Daylight Saving Time and most internet javascript clocks are wrong.
Ah rgr! Was just going by my little time-zone clock I have in front of me - I will try to remember that it is only correct during the winter (for us) months! OK, so the Saturday CAP will be at 7.00 am Sunday then? With the flexibility of the re-up windows in the CAP, anyone in Japan can start during one of those if the actual start of the event is too early.... :)
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During Midway, it will be EST (Eastern Standard Time), so Japan will be 14 hours ahead. 3PM EST in November will be 5AM (next day) for those of us in Japan.
I can certainly sympathise with that unfortunate time, as events like the Friday TOD are at a similar time for me (4.00 am actually).
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Now, Aussies and Kiwis change in reverse because their seasons are opposite Northern Hemisphere seasons.
Yikes, never thought of that aspect! Now my brain is starting to hurt!!! :confused:
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I tell you what. I'll be happy to fix up a javascript that actually works. You can paste it into a webpage and it will have buttons that players can push to see the current time in their, and other, time zones. I can add the most used time zones to the script.
Stay tuned...
Hey, that would be great if you could! Look forward to hearing more! :D
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: Flossy on September 28, 2002, 09:46:13 AM
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Originally posted by fullback I still think zulu is best. btw - I think you'll find that zulu is not the same as GMT. Zulu is UTC and constant. GMT is not constant.
LOL! You edited your original post while I was replying to it! So is the offer still on, or the fact you edited out mean its not? :D
Erm.... actually GMT is constant! I know because, as a Radio Amateur, I have always had to complete my logbook in GMT - and we are currently one hour ahead of GMT in the UK, until the clocks go back..... :)
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: beet1e on September 28, 2002, 10:00:08 AM
Fullback is wrong, Flossy is right.
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: fullback on September 28, 2002, 10:00:08 AM
I did edit it... sorry. I rethought it and realized that after all the parameters for the time zones are correctly determined, a fixed table is easier!
I graciously accept the GMT info and stood in the corner for 1 minute as punishment.
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: Flossy on September 28, 2002, 10:07:57 AM
LOL, thanks Beet1e! :D Hehe, understood, Fullback.... it did sound like a mammoth task.... and good to hear you agree about GMT! ;)
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: fats on September 28, 2002, 10:14:44 AM
DA98,
Good luck with that. It didn't happen in WB and I doubt it will happen here. It would clear out any confusion as to when the event starts but for some reason the US folks demand to be impractical.
// fats
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: Flossy on September 28, 2002, 11:46:57 AM
Actually, I have got used to Events being announced in Eastern Time, and all it takes is to learn how far before or after Eastern Time you are, and to be aware of overlaps when Daylight Savings changes are made. I know that, in general, the UK is 5 hours ahead of Eastern time and CET is an one hour ahead of us. The only time the difference alters is when one time-zone goes forward or back before another.... :D
BTW, thinking about the GMT/UTC/zulu thing.... I believe GMT=UTC, but UTC is the new name for it? Therefore both GMT and UTC are constant. It is Zulu which can vary, being whatever the local time is, regardless of Daylight Savings. Therefore, as I post this message, it is 17:50z or 16:50 GMT/UTC.... :)
[edit]HTC clock is slow! :D [/edit]
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: beet1e on September 28, 2002, 11:54:40 AM
No, flossy - Zulu=GMT=UTC. (Universal Time Coordinated, I think).
I am posting this at 1757LT, =1657Z.
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: john9001 on September 28, 2002, 12:10:54 PM
if i click on my date/ time thingy on my screen i get a date/time setting window, click on
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: DA98 on September 28, 2002, 12:42:45 PM
A good description of the various time system used in different contexts:
So we have GMT, UT, UT1, and UTC... seems that GMT and UT are colloquial terms, while UTC and UT1 are more specific words. What one should we use? I don't want to join an event 0.5 seconds late!
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: Flossy on September 28, 2002, 01:21:34 PM
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Originally posted by beet1e No, flossy - Zulu=GMT=UTC. (Universal Time Coordinated, I think).
OK.... I've always been confused with the Zulu bit.... just thought I remembered someone telling me years ago that it was local time. I stand corrected. :)
Title: About Events and Time Zones:
Post by: Flossy on September 28, 2002, 01:24:19 PM
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Originally posted by DA98 I don't want to join an event 0.5 seconds late!
LOL, DA98! As long as you are not an hour late, I think we can live with the odd half-second! :D