[LEAPSECS] Schedule for success

[Poul-Henning Kamp]

In message <4E21991A-9580-4345-882B-6BE21E73349A at pipe.nl>, Nero Imhard writes:

>On 2008-12-31, at 00:02, Poul-Henning Kamp wrote:

>

>> TAI is only a paperclock

>

>And how is UTC not a "paperclock" as well? UTC is only known after the  

>fact, when the BIPM publishes its analysis of comparisons between  

>various renditions of UTC.


The pure UTC is a paper clock like TAI, but there are plenty of
"real" UTC's to be had.

UTC has local implementations, such as UTC(PTB), UTC(USNO), UTC(NIST),
which are disseminated to the public via networks and radio signals.

The fact that TAI and UTC is an integer number of seconds apart,
makes the distinction between UTC and TAI as being more or less
a paper-clock a _very_ academic discussion.

Time-lords make a point about it nontheless: whenever somebody talks
about using TAI for something, they state in no uncertain terms that
this is not to be done.

Poul-Henning

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