pep proposal : A date object for the standard library

[Peter Mayne]

"phil hunt" <philh at comuno.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:slrna100gu.ilp.philh at comuno.freeserve.co.uk...
> On 6 Dec 2001 03:46:44 -0800, sebastien <s.keim at laposte.net> wrote:
> >
> >In this format, the integer part correspond to the number of elapsed
> >days since the start of the day 1858-11-17 CE. Negatives numbers are
> >allowed for date before 1858-11-17.
>
> Any reason why that day particularly?

17-Nov-1858 is to VMS as 1-Jan-1970 is to UNIX.

>From the VAX11 Software Handbook:

VAX/VMS maintains the current date and time (using a 24-hour clock) in
64-bit format. The time value is a binary number in 100-nanosecond units
offset from the system base date and time, which is 00:00 o'clock, November
17, 1858. This is the Smithsonian base date and time for the astronomical
calendar.

All the time values passed to system services must also be in 64-bit format.
A time value can be expressed as:

o an absolute time which is specific date and time of day. Absolute times
are always positive values.

o A delta time which is a future offset (number of hours, minutes, seconds,
and so on) from the current time. Delta times are always expressed as
negative values.

PJDM
--
Peter Mayne
IBM GSA (but the opinions are mine)
Canberra, ACT, Australia
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