Forum date format
 

It has been suggested that the forum's date format should be changed to the [URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_8601"]ISO 8601[/URL] standard.

Please post your thoughts in this thread and vote!

:mike:

Almost five years after it was [url=http://www.mersenneforum.org/showpost.php?p=251634&postcount=20]suggested[/url] we finally got a four digit year. And I hope that whatever date format is finally adopted that it keeps the four digit year.

[size=1]Also, I hope that in the process of changing date format, that the 24 hour time format is not forgotten about and/or accidentally put back to the AM/PM [strike]ugliness[/strike] thing.:yucky:[/size]

Having the day of the week as well would be nice. Eg today as:
Sat 12 Mar 2016

Chris

To simplify somewhat, a more universal YYYY-MM-DD format is proposed.
I don't believe that anybody in the world would find that ambiguous.

[QUOTE=retina;428863]Almost five years after it was [url=http://www.mersenneforum.org/showpost.php?p=251634&postcount=20]suggested[/url] we finally got a four digit year. And I hope that whatever date format is finally adopted that it keeps the four digit year.[/QUOTE]
As I understand ISO 8601 (as revised), 2 digit year descriptions are disallowed.

[QUOTE=retina;428863]Also, I hope that in the process of changing date format, that the 24 hour time format is not forgotten about and/or accidentally put back to the AM/PM [strike]ugliness[/strike] thing.:yucky:[/QUOTE]
From my reading of ISO 8601 it appears that 24 hour time only is tolerated.

Let us all be aware that mersenne.org and mersenne.ca have become largely ISO 8601 in recent times.

I am opposed to the "T" separator in the 8601 datetime strings. To me it does not clearly and immediately signify itself at first glance as the location of the separator. Visual scanning is slow and annoying. If the "T" is changed to a space then I find it easier to scan (and I realise that it is then no longer in compliance with 8601).

As a date format alone 8601 is fine.

BTW: Curiously relevant, The time is off by one hour (ahead). Is it daylight saving change time on the server? If so, then the server is badly programmed, or badly setup, or badly something.

[QUOTE=retina;428896]I am opposed to the "T" separator in the 8601 datetime strings. To me it does not clearly and immediately signify itself at first glance as the location of the separator. Visual scanning is slow and annoying. If the "T" is changed to a space then I find it easier to scan (and I realise that it is then no longer in compliance with 8601).

As a date format alone 8601 is fine.

BTW: Curiously relevant, The time is off by one hour (ahead). Is it daylight saving change time on the server? If so, then the server is badly programmed, or badly setup, or badly something.[/QUOTE]

Indeed I thought that possible presentation of such a "T" symbol might occasion some comment.
But such composite date time formats are not necessarily proposed at this particular point in time.
The main suggestion for now is date.
Initially I also was thrown a tiny bit by the "T" connection to time, but I would learn to live with it.
We don't need to adopt every part of ISO 8601 immediately.

I agree that, if we make it ISO 8601, we should use a space for the date/time separator, and not "T"

[QUOTE=retina;428896]BTW: Curiously relevant, The time is off by one hour (ahead). Is it daylight saving change time on the server? If so, then the server is badly programmed, or badly setup, or badly something.[/QUOTE]

The time is ok for me. Check your time zone and DST settings at [url]http://www.mersenneforum.org/profile.php?do=editoptions[/url], maybe they don't match the rules followed in your locale?

[QUOTE=Mini-Geek;428933]The time is ok for me. Check your time zone and DST settings at [url]http://www.mersenneforum.org/profile.php?do=editoptions[/url], maybe they don't match the rules followed in your locale?[/QUOTE]It was a forum problem for a few hours at the time I posted. It is back to normal now so that is why you see it as fine.

[QUOTE=retina;428896]
BTW: Curiously relevant, The time is off by one hour (ahead). Is it daylight saving change time on the server? If so, then the server is badly programmed, or badly setup, or badly something.[/QUOTE]

Seems you posted that a couple minutes before 0500 2016-03-14 UTC. What timezone is the server located in? Judging by your post, its (non DST) UTC offset is at least -2.

[QUOTE=Dubslow;428938]Seems you posted that a couple minutes before 0500 2016-03-14 UTC. What timezone is the server located in? Judging by your post, its (non DST) UTC offset is at least -2.[/QUOTE]I waited for the hour rollover and the problem persisted for more than one hour after that.

[QUOTE=retina;428939]I waited for the hour rollover and the problem persisted for more than one hour after that.[/QUOTE]

My point being that the server passed into DST several hours before you did. The problem would appear when it went into DST, and disappear when you did.