[LEAPSECS] ISO Influence

[Rob Seaman]

> But you forget an important fact Rob:  In computing UTC doesn't have leap seconds presently.


Computing is not the only game in town.  The world is layered on systems and procedures that have assumed mean solar timekeeping for hundreds of years.  The codebase we have has evolved with this assumption - whether or not particular software systems have been intelligently designed.


> So if we are to do what you call "Good Systems Engineering", no matter what we decide, if keep leapseconds, if have them with much longer warning or if we abandon them, we will have to review all software which may be buggy with respect to whatever definition of leap seconds we choose.


Well argued!

To quote the immortal Geddy Lee: If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.


> Before we can do that, we need to find it.

> 

> So lets get started, we need to estimate how much time&money we need.

> 

> So how much source code can you review for leap-second sensitivity in an hour ?


Got me.  I suggest reviewing Y2K postmortems for pertinent estimates.  The proposal on the table (that has nothing to do with either one of us) is inept and absurdly incomplete.  The onus rests on those who want to upset the apple cart.

Rob