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This question was asked on Slashdot - reposting here as I feel it could make for an interesting discussion...
Do we still need time zones? Time zones are a relic of the past, when different parts of the world were isolated, and 12 p.m. was whenever the sun was directly above your specific location. Now, in the Internet age, time is just an arbitrary number, and time zones are just unnecessary complexity. Why can't we scrap time zones altogether, and all just use UTC across the board? So here on the eastern seaboard of Australia, lunchtime will now be at 2 a.m., In New York it will be 4 p.m., and in Moscow it will be 8 a.m. There'll be some pain with the initial changeover, but from then on it's all good. Got a meeting with colleagues on the other side of the world? 4 a.m. means 4 a.m. for everyone. Got a flight landing at 3 p.m.? 3 p.m. now means 3 p.m. for everyone. For DST, you simply change your schedule rather than the clock (i.e. work and school starts an hour earlier during DST months). No confusion ever again. For someone whose work involves travel or communication across time zones, this is the best idea I've ever heard. So why aren't we doing it?
No, because Americans can't even do basic geography, let's not give them more ways to get confused!
And besides, its all well and good to say its 6am all over the world, but without zoning, it would become impossible to tell what the "time" actually is, relative to the day.
That's what zoning accomplishes!
Edit: Whatever slashdot is smoking, Amy Winehouse approves of...
This is fail on so many levels. It's all good and well to say we can all use the same time, but in reality it would mean that some of us would have to become nocuturnal especially if you have dealings with people from over seas. I for one find it nice to be awake during the day and sleep at night, albeit late at night...
Uhm I agree with Syko it is retarded to talk about am and pm if 12 isn't when the sun is highest in the sky and no Jbay it does not mean everyone across the world will work from 8 to 17:00 so you can still see the sun. But who the heck is gona decide where 12 is where the sun is at it's highest. Oh and will our suicide bombers uhm I mean that other peacefull religion people get up in the midle of the night when it is 12 to pray or will they do it at what ever time coresponds to when the sun is highest in the sky. One thing is for sure it will be interesting
"I hear voices in my head but they are my own this time" "Except for a battle lost, there is nothing so terrible as a battle won." "Sanity is for the weak!!"
