Forum date format

Xyzzy · 2016-03-12, 16:05

It has been suggested that the forum's date format should be changed to the ISO 8601 standard.

Please post your thoughts in this thread and vote!

retina · 2016-03-12, 16:22

Almost five years after it was suggested we finally got a four digit year. And I hope that whatever date format is finally adopted that it keeps the four digit year.

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 ~~ugliness~~ thing.

chris2be8 · 2016-03-12, 16:39

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

Chris

snme2pm1 · 2016-03-13, 04:39

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:

Originally Posted by retina

Almost five years after it was suggested we finally got a four digit year. And I hope that whatever date format is finally adopted that it keeps the four digit year.

As I understand ISO 8601 (as revised), 2 digit year descriptions are disallowed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by retina

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 ~~ugliness~~ thing.

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.

retina · 2016-03-13, 04:55

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.

snme2pm1 · 2016-03-13, 05:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by retina

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.

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.

Mini-Geek · 2016-03-13, 12:20

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by retina

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.

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

retina · 2016-03-13, 12:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mini-Geek

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

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.

Dubslow · 2016-03-13, 13:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by retina

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.

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.

retina · 2016-03-13, 13:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dubslow

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.

I waited for the hour rollover and the problem persisted for more than one hour after that.

Dubslow · 2016-03-13, 13:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by retina

I waited for the hour rollover and the problem persisted for more than one hour after that.

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.

View Poll Results: What date format?
Leave it as it is!	6	20.69%
Who cares!	5	17.24%
Something else!	0	0%
ISO 8601!	18	62.07%
Voters: 29. You may not vote on this poll

2016-03-12, 16:05	#1
Xyzzy "Mike" Aug 2002 8224₁₀ Posts	Forum date format It has been suggested that the forum's date format should be changed to the ISO 8601 standard. Please post your thoughts in this thread and vote!

2016-03-13, 04:55	#5
retina Undefined "The unspeakable one" Jun 2006 My evil lair 1100000110100₂ Posts	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. Last fiddled with by retina on 2016-03-13 at 04:59

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2016-03-12, 16:22	#2
retina Undefined "The unspeakable one" Jun 2006 My evil lair 2²·1,549 Posts	Almost five years after it was suggested we finally got a four digit year. And I hope that whatever date format is finally adopted that it keeps the four digit year. 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 ~~ugliness~~ thing.

2016-03-12, 16:39	#3
chris2be8 Sep 2009 4036₈ Posts	Having the day of the week as well would be nice. Eg today as: Sat 12 Mar 2016 Chris