Jetlag and DST = what the heck is the time anyway?
Ok, so I wake up; my phone says it is 9.34; my laptop says it is 8.34; both the phone and the laptop are meant to auto-update time; which do I trust? Ah, here it is, the PC clock time zone setting did not have the option to automatically adjust for DST enabled. Now they both show the same time...
The SANS Internet Storm Centre diary already has a slew of posts about DST issues, and there are other reports appearing elsewhere:
- Server reboot schedule moving forward one hour - APC Powerchute 7.0.5.108 - same sort of glitch that hits OL pre-existing appointments
- CISCO phones - time not changing correctly
- Cell phones - have you updated the software on your SmartPhone and/or PDA? If not, the time is likely going to be out. Also, be aware that some phones will not update until turned off and back on again
- Symantec Backup Exec 10d and 10.1 - unlike APC, pre-existing jobs are moving *back* one hour, not forward one hour. (My thoughts re the APC and Symantec issues are that both use java and, yes, Sun Java has DST issues; I'm wondering if the guy who reported the APC and Symantec issues has thought to update Sun Java on his affected systems - too many businesses do not do so because essential LOB applications may be compatible with only one version of Java, and if that version happens to *not* be DST compliant, well, you're screwed)
- Atomic clocks not updating; VOIP phone issues; blackberry's not updating; GPS not updating.
- Watchguard Fireware 8.3.1 and System Manager 8.3.1: log rolls and scheduled reports moving one hour; service shutdowns if times changed manually - server must be restart to correct issue; Webblocker updates report having occurred one hour after Windows scheduler task reports having launched and completed.
This comment, copied from TalkBack on ZDNET by a Mr Kevin Dean pretty much says it all:
"The blame for this fiasco lies squarely with Fred Upton, a Michigan Republican, and Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, for sponsoring the amendment to the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The amount of energy saved is miniscule at this time of year (unlike in summer with its longer days) and the disruption they have caused to computer systems and transportation schedules (especially airlines) is phenomenal."
Perth went through its own DST pain back in December when the local politicians, in their infinite "wisdom", decided to ignore the previous three referendums in which Perth voters chose to NOT have daylight savings. We were given barely weeks between the announcement being made, and DST happening in Perth for the first time *ever*. How I wish politicians could see past their bedside and stove clocks. Perth is simply not suited to DST - summers are not cool in Perth and, to add insult to injury, the Government has not only forced DST down our throats, but is also advertising to try and convince us not to turn on our air conditioners between 3 and 6pm because the electricity infrastructure is not handling the load - what a pity they did not consider that when they made the DST changes and did not realise that they would now have millions of workers finishing their work day during the hottest part of the afternoon. So, instead of all those workers staying cool in their offices and sharing building-wide air conditioning, those workers are going home and turning on millions of individual air conditioners an hour earlier than they would do otherwise. Oh, and I hate driving to work in the morning in the dark, and getting to sleep in the evening being delayed because it is not yet dark outside. In short, we're not saving electricity - when it comes to power we're simply moving the time that it is used - when it comes to air conditioning we've made things far worse.