The sqlite3 timestamp conversion between unixepoch and localtime can't be done according to the timezone setting on the machine automatically.

[dn]

> Yeah. And if you think you've heard it all, sign up for the
> tzdata-announce mailing list and wait for the next phenomenon. I think
> Egypt (Africa/Cairo) is currently in the lead for weirdest timezone
> change, for (with short notice) announcing that they'd have DST during
> summer but not during Ramadan. Since "summer" is defined by a solar
> calendar and "Ramadan" is defined by a lunar calendar, that means the
> DST exclusion might happen entirely in winter (no effect), at one end
> or other of summer (shortens DST, just changes the dates), or in the
> middle of summer (DST on, DST off, DST on, DST off, in a single year).
> But they will, at some point, be eclipsed by an even more bizarre
> timezone change. I don't dare try to predict what will happen, because
> I know that the reality will be even worse....


Similar to the situation where a few US cities maintain a different
time-zone to the rest of the(ir) state, our refinery (in the Middle
East) maintained just such a Ramadan-clock. I think such might be quite
a common practice (which I'll describe, below).

When considered, and motivation aside, it's not so very different from
schemes enabling employees to choose their personal start-time (usually
within a range, eg "glide time"), ideas to reduce 'rush hour' grid-locks
by spreading commuter start/finish times, etc.


At the refinery (computer center), we started one (or was it two) hours
earlier that usual - as close to dawn as possible, ie the beginning of
the daily fast.

"Western employees" could take regular breaks, and usually 'disappeared'
for 'midday meal', somewhere around 1030~1130.

Muslim employees had no breaks. In lieu, they went home early - to be
able to sleep. Later came sunset-prayers, and thereafter
breaking-the-fast. Typically, there would be activities, and more meals,
during the night.

Meantime, the non-Muslims maintained a short 'afternoon shift', going
home commensurately early.

Others in the community were totally confused: "Why didn't you answer
your phone yesterday afternoon?", "a meeting at 0700 - you must be
joking!", etc. The pattern and predictability were broken!


I thought it was a fabulous idea, actually leaving the office on-time
(for a change), and heading straight down to the beach for some
wind-surfing...

That said, it really messed with your head. People staggered-in and
managed little output first-thing. (need I say more?)

At a more amusing level: my door was literally always-open, and because
my office was at the end of a corridor, colleagues required only a
glance to see if I was 'available'. The door only closed for
personal/confidential discussions or when I was 'out' - except during
Ramadan when I didn't want to insult anyone by drinking tea, effectively
in-public. So, when the door was closed for long periods, this confused
my staff. Indeed, I would often be asked "where have you been?" when I'd
been working-away at my desk all-along, but simply hadn't got up to open
the door once 'the coast was clear'. Life's rich tapestry...

In my case, I blame "Ramadan-hours" for 'flipping the switch' (in my
head) and turning a late-night owl, and stereotypical techie/hacker;
into an 'early bird'. Ironically such serves me well today - dealing
with clients and colleagues on the other side of the planet, who much
prefer me to wake-early, so that they don't have to interrupt their
evenings at home...
-- 
Regards,
=dn