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Date:      Sun, 16 Jan 2000 15:02:38 -0500 (EST)
From:      Will Andrews <andrews@TECHNOLOGIST.COM>
To:        Omachonu Ogali <oogali@intranova.net>
Cc:        chat@FreeBSD.ORG, Eivind Eklund <eivind@FreeBSD.ORG>, Matthew Hunt <mph@astro.caltech.edu>
Subject:   Re: time_t (was Re: I will never trust NBC news again!)
Message-ID:  <XFMail.000116150238.andrews@TECHNOLOGIST.COM>
In-Reply-To: <Pine.BSF.4.10.10001161218390.78224-100000@hydrant.intranova.net>

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On 16-Jan-00 Omachonu Ogali wrote:
> Why isn't it and why can't it be?

Historical reasons. You're asking the entire computer industry to change the
standard libraries' use of the time_t typedef. time_t starts on January 1, 1970
at 00:00 UTC. People who need dates before that can write their own timekeeping
libraries that can easily "drop in" for their C libraries.

Banks, crime depts, etc. are only a small portion of the "computer user"
legion. It would be a completely ridiculous idea to change time_t everywhere. I
would predict chaos, quite frankly.

--
Will Andrews <andrews@technologist.com>
GCS/E/S @d- s+:+>+:- a--->+++ C++ UB++++ P+ L- E--- W+++ !N !o ?K w---
?O M+ V-- PS+ PE++ Y+ PGP+>+++ t++ 5 X++ R+ tv+ b++>++++ DI+++ D+ 
G++>+++ e->++++ h! r-->+++ y?


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