On 7/3/2012 6:28 PM, Steve Allen wrote:
On 2012 Jul 3, at 18:13, Vadim Antonov wrote:
PS. I would vote for using TAI instead of UTC as the non-relativistic time base in computer systems.
A problem with the use of TAI is that the BIPM and CCTF (who make TAI) expressed strongly that they do not want it used as a system time in document CCTF09-27 http://www.bipm.org/cc/CCTF/Allowed/18/CCTF_09-27_note_on_UTC-ITU-R.pdf so strongly that they end by contemplating the discontinuation of TAI.
There's always a possibility of using pseudo-TAI internally by reconstructing it from UTC. This is not the best solution (because it requires systems to have long-term memory of past leap seconds, or ability to access a reliable storage of such), but at least this removes the burden of doing complicated time handling from application software. Actually, what they are saying is that they would discontinue TAI *if* definition of UTC is amended to remove future leap seconds. The document makes it clear that they recognize the necessity of continuous coordinate time standard. --vadim