From maechler at stat.math.ethz.ch  Thu Dec 15 18:02:02 2016
From: maechler at stat.math.ethz.ch (Martin Maechler)
Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2016 18:02:02 +0100
Subject: [Rd] New leap second end of 2016 / beginning 2017 (depending on
	TZ)
In-Reply-To: <CAPRP4-ewTBVtMKb7Lhec8=YvDscFePTH-Lqif69osgOjdRkbbg@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAPRP4-ewTBVtMKb7Lhec8=YvDscFePTH-Lqif69osgOjdRkbbg@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <22610.52362.296054.565812@stat.math.ethz.ch>

>>>>> Martin Maechler <maechler at stat.math.ethz.ch>
>>>>>     on Wed, 14 Dec 2016 17:04:22 +0100 writes:

    > As R is sophisticated enough to track leap seconds,
    > ?.leap.seconds

    > we'd need to update our codes real soon now again:

    > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leap_second

    > (and those of you who want second precision in R in 2017 need to start
    > working with 'R patched' or 'R devel' ...)

I've been told offline, that the above could be considered as
FUD .. which I hope nobody read from it.

Furthermore, there seems to be wide disagreement about the
usefulness of leap seconds, and how computers (and OSs) should
deal with them.
One recent approach (e.g. by Google) is to "smear the leap
second" into the system (by somehow "throttling" time servers ;-)..

(and no, I even less would want this to become a long thread, so
 please refrain if you can ...)

Martin



[Rd] New leap second end of 2016 / beginning 2017 (depending on TZ)
Martin Maechler