Re: Time

>> Is the time field in GMT or local time?  If it's "loggers choice", should
>> there be a way in embed that info in the file?
>>

>I suspect it would be easiest to let the logger choose.  If that is the 
>case, I would probably prefer that information as to GMT or local be 
>given somewhere in the log.  A reference to time zone in the log preamble 
>or including the zone stamp next to the time reference, 1304GMT.  If no 
>reference is given to the time zone, there is a problem if we combine 
>logs in an analysis.

Writing logs in local time is pretty much an anachronism for a World Wide
system. The time domain that the server is in is pretty much irrelevant.

Using time zone names is very messy and leads to all sorts of ambiguities
in a log file. Daylight saving introduces even more complexity.

It is always possible to convert GMT time into local time. I very strongly
believe that this should be done at the user and never the system level. 
I have used computer systems which span timezones and the result is pretty
ugly unless they have a common concept of time.


		Phill

Received on Thursday, 11 April 1996 10:33:14 UTC