[LEAPSECS] What's the point?

[Warner Losh]

On 02/08/2011 07:55, Rob Seaman wrote:

> Regarding your current question, I would personally assert:

> 	Coupling civil timekeeping to Earth rotation is a necessary feature.

>

> I suspect some others here might not be willing (yet) to promote this to "consensus" :-)

>

> Phrases like "tight coupling" are misleading.  The ITU position has only ever been to remove *all* coupling.  On this list we have often discussed various ways to relax the current constraints.  It is the ITU who have been inflexible.


The current ITU proposal would have the effect of moving the coupling of 
the Earth's rotation from the time that is broadcast (now called UTC) to 
the timezones that local governments promulgate.  While not explicitly 
stated in the proposal something like this would naturally happen every 
few hundred years.

I'd be willing to agree that "Coupling of Civil time to the earth is 
required."  Coupling of the successor to UTC isn't required, or at least 
there's not consensus that it is required.

Warner