[LEAPSECS] Cheating means more planning, not less

[Rob Seaman]

I wrote:


> An organization with a limited scope (telecommunications) should not  

> control a standard with a much broader scope (timekeeping).


Poul-Henning Kamp writes:


> 50 years ago, I might have agreed with you (NB: cheap claim, I'm not  

> that old).

>

> But in the networked global village of this age, I do not:  

> timekeeping is very much a telecoms issue.


A global village implies global citizens.  People have complex needs  
that place more stringent timekeeping requirements of all sorts now  
than 50 years ago.  Telecommunication issues are only part of that -  
an important part, but limited in scope.  Timekeeping requirements  
will only broaden moving forward into the future.

The issue is general purpose civil timekeeping, not some wonky issue  
about a technical timescale.  The diverse requirements of civilians  
are preeminent.  In any event, the specific needs of  
telecommunications infrastructure are not necessarily at odds with the  
more general needs of civilians.  Systems engineering provides tools  
for accommodating both.

The ITU proposal is simply a bad proposal.  Improve the proposal.   
Seek consensus before voting on the next one.

Rob