[LEAPSECS] php breaks if UTC has no leap seconds?

[Rob Seaman]

On Dec 10, 2010, at 9:18 AM, Richard B. Langley wrote:


> USNO predicts UT1-UTC. In Bulletin A <http://maia.usno.navy.mil/ser7/ser7.dat>, they predict daily values for a year in advance but only provide an error estimate up to 40 days in advance. Elsewhere <http://maia.usno.navy.mil/ser7/deltat.preds>, longer-term predictions are given; supposedly updated annually.


This is another good example of the absence of due diligence related to the ITU proposal.  Any even halfway competent engineering plan would discuss issues related to contingent infrastructure changes.  If UTC is redefined to lack leap seconds, the logistics of predicting and announcing UT1-UTC (and similar quantities) will become much more critical.  The details should be settled in advance.

Systems engineering best practices are a way to avoid problems before they occur.

Rob