🚀 go-pugleaf

gsez020@nemo.bedford.waii.com (Pete Forman) wrote:
>
>My documentation (IRIX 6.1) gives the range as 0-61.  I presume that
>the current standard does cover leap seconds and that your copy is out
>of date.  I don't understand why it's not 0-60, though.

    As noted elsewhere, I was relying on the documentation that went
with a particular implementation.  I have since found other references
that make it clear that his has already covered.  The reason it is 0-61
is because there is a possibility that two leap seconds may be needed at
some future time.

>Your remaining points have little relevance.  localtime() and friends
>are indeed only useful for the Gregorian calendar.  If you were to try
>to extend to other calendars you would have difficulty specifying the
>rules.  Days may start at dusk, months according to observations of
>the moon.  Programs can only approximate the future and look up the
>past.

    The point is that the current phrasing DOES restrict the standard
to the Gregorian calendar.  I think a little judicious rephrasing might
allow the standard to be used by cultures that do not use the Gregorian
calendar.  The required change might be as simple as noting that the
ranges and definitions apply to the Gregorian calandar and that other
comprable ranges and definitions may be used in locales that use other
calendars.  This would permit but not require other calendar 
implementations.

        Max
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