[LEAPSECS] Tripping over the International Date Line

[Rob Seaman]

On Mar 7, 2007, at 11:11 AM, Zefram wrote:


> Rob Seaman wrote:

>> Recall that it was the IDL that saved the wager.

>

> Poppycock.  It was getting round the world in less that 80*86400  

> seconds

> that saved the wager.  The effect of timezones and the IDL was merely

> to sow confusion as to whether the time limit had been exceeded.


I don't recall the precise terms of the wager (and never read the  
original French).  Was it
"return to this point in 80 days by that clock over there" or rather  
"circumnavigate in 80 day/night cycles"?  One could argue that it  
took Fogg 81 days shortened days.  Then, it would have been  
preferable to travel westward and be able to take 80 longer days.   
Fogg's punctiliousness in timekeeping was a feature of the story, of  
course.

Rob