Re: [FEATURE REQUEST] Timezone support in org-mode datestamps and org-agenda

["Thomas S. Dye" <tsd@tsdye.online>]

Aloha all,

Jean Louis <bugs@gnu.support> writes:

> * Tim Cross <theophilusx@gmail.com> [2023-01-19 00:31]:
>> The problem is with meeting 2 and the assumption there is a 
>> definitive
>> timezone for the meeting.
>> 
>> Consider this scenario. I have a meeting with two other people. 
>> We are
>> all in different timezone. What is the timezone of the meeting?

Meetings are occurrences, which require absolute time, which has 
no timezones.  Org should record occurrences with timestamps in 
UTC, possibly translating from the user's local time.

>
> Org in this state can't handle such things.

Org can do the useful thing: translate the UTC timestamp into 
local time and report both UTC and local time.  User will be able 
quickly to determine if local time is incorrect for some reason, 
such as DST or travel.

Storing timestamps in UTC solves the interval problem Ihor raised. 
Intervals always make sense in absolute time.  Moving them to 
event time leads to the insanity Ihor mentioned.

hth,
Tom

>
> A person in any timezone shall be able to see that time in his 
> local
> time zone if we speak of distant meetings, and in case of face 
> to face
> meetings, that person shall have computer aid to show him the 
> meeting
> time in any time zone that user is located, during travel and 
> upon
> arrival to face to face meeting. 
>
> User is supposed to be assisted by computer. And not to assist 
> to
> computer, or to get troubles from computer.
>
> - Time zone shall be more or less recognizable by city and 
> country. 
>
> - User addresses in the address book shall be part of every 
> computer system
>
> - It is natural and common sense to know addresses of people one 
> wants
>   to meet
>
> - By using location of person one wants to meet, computer has 
> got
>   enough information for representation of the time zone
>
> - By sharing appointment record to user in other time zone, that 
> user
>   would see it in his time zone, or by choice in original time 
>   zone of
>   the meeting place
>
> A record of time, shall have two attributes, the UTC time and 
> the time
> zone to be displayed. By using system time zone setting, Org 
> file time
> zone settings, heading time zone settings or time stamp time 
> zone
> setting, any export of Org shall contain (by user's option) the
> desired representation of time stamps.
>
> Function of sharing of meetings shall ask local user:
>
> - is user in different time zone? 
>
> And then by choice of the user's location, the time 
> representation
> shall be prepared in such way that both parties understand each 
> other.
>
> That is really not in the sphere of Org where there is not even 
> a
> decent address book available.
>
> Just re-write the time by hand for your friend at other part of 
> the
> world, write the timestamp in his time zone and your time zone, 
> and
> problem solved.
>
> It is supposed to be text. It is not God.


-- 
Thomas S. Dye
https://tsdye.online/tsdye