Re: Leap Year..................!, leap seconds...

Helmut Leininger wrote: > > Peter Lancashire wrote: > > > Richard Thomas wrote: > > > > > > If 2000 were to have 30 days, surely that would make it a leap leap year > > > (or should that be leap squared ? ;-) > > > > > > In any case, 2000 is a leap year, and February has 29 days. 1900 was > > > not a leap year. For your reference, the rule is: > > > > > > Is the year divisible by 4 ? > > > No - Not a leap year ---> END > > > Yes - Is the year divisible by 100 ? > > > No - It is a leap year ---> END > > > Yes - Is the year divisible by 400 ? > > > No - It is not a leap year > > > Yes - It is a leap year. > > > > > > These convoluted arrangements are required because there are something > > > like 365.2575 days per year, and so a slight correction is required > > > every four hundred years. And even this is not completely correct! > > > > > > Could you imagine what would happen if we introduced a decimal (or even > > > a hexidecimal / octal / binary) calendar? That would make Y2K look like > > > child's play! > > > > > > RET > > > > > <snip> > > We sometimes have leap-seconds but I am not aware of the rule used to > > invoke them. This would be a real challenge... > > > > Meanwhile, those of us in the UK have a mundane and infuriating time > > problem: the lack of a rule for deciding on the switch to and from > > summer time (daylight savings to my readers in the USA). It is decided > > by "Orders in Council". Anyone know the algorithm for this? ;-) > > Ain't this the last Sunday in March (02:00:00) to switch to summertime and the > last sunday in October (03:00:00) to switch back ? > > Helmut Leininger > > Bull AG / Vienna > Unix Support > Email: Helmut.Leininger@bull.net > > This opinion is mine and not necessarily that of my employer. > No guarantees whatsoever. Unfortunately, no. Look in Whittaker's almanac for the messy details. In summary, the rule can be varied when the change occurs on Easter Sunday and at any time to fit in more with continental Europe. There's a lot of folklore about this but little authoritative guidance. -- Peter Lancashire Information Systems Specialist, Bayer plc Eastern Way, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP32 7AH, UK Tel: +44-1635-562258, Fax: +44-1635-562281 --- If all else fails, read the instructions AND the release notes. All opinions are my own and not those of Bayer plc. My Internet plumbing does not allow me to mail and post news together. Sorry. --- Join Infuse, the UK Informix User Group at http://www.infuse.org.uk/