Pointless DST thread that will be politicized and hijacked

March 12th, 2018 at 10:03:25 AM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
Nareed's Principle of Choices: When choosing between two or more alternatives, you will find there are downsides to all of them, and that there is no one perfect choice.

Here’s one more choice: Since most clocks nowadays are in computers, cell phones, and other connected devices, couldn’t we phase in the switch to and from DST gradually over a couple of weeks or even longer? This would move time across a longer period for minutes per day (depending on the length of the period), until eventually an hour is added or subtracted.

The downsides, among others: Many people don’t let their clocks adjust via network. Many clocks are not on connected devices. Early implementation would be buggy (all software is) and prone to error.

But in the first place, all or most of the countries that observe DST would have to go along. As it is, not all observe the same dates. This year DST goes into effect in Mexico on April first. In other parts of the world, it's already in effect.

And I'm sure there are many others.
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER
March 12th, 2018 at 10:37:43 AM permalink
Dalex64
Member since: Mar 8, 2014
Threads: 3
Posts: 3687
Absolutely not.

I can't possibly enumerate all of the problems, so I'll just make a vague mention.

Scheduled events, and measurements of events over time, would be messed up with many many small time shifts, hours that are no longer hours, many minutes in a year that repeat, and many minutes in a year that are skipped.

The issue is much larger than having either or a person or a computer change what the clock says.
"Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts." Daniel Patrick Moynihan
March 12th, 2018 at 10:56:39 AM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
politized or hijacked? How about blocked..
Good grief..
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
March 12th, 2018 at 12:48:57 PM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
Quote: Dalex64
Absolutely not.


Aw!

To get the change done in two weeks, you'd need to eliminate about 4:20 minutes each day. So when the clock hits 01:55:40, it would change to 02:00:00.

That si hardly noticeable as far as sleep time goes. If your alarm clock, whatever it is, changes automatically (and successfully), you'd wake up having slept 4:20 minutes less. On weekends, assuming you don't set alarms, you wouldn't even notice.

But I can see how it would create problems for things like airline schedules. Other things, too, I imagine.

You'd also be resetting clocks like the one in te oven, the car, the microwave, etc. every day for two weeks.
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER