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Mac OS X and Daylight Saving Time

Mac OS X and Daylight Saving Time

by , 2:30 PM EDT, November 2nd, 2007

In the U.S., we go off DST this weekend. Mac OS X since 10.4.5 has been ready for the new changes in the U.S. Daylight Saving Time rules for 2007, that is DST started on March 11th and ends on November 4th. In version 10.4.8, Apple added additional recent changes for other countries. As a result, in the U.S., anyone with Mac OS X 10.4.5 or later will be ready for the weekend change.

For more information on Apple's Daylight Saving Time OS changes, see Apple support article # 305056. That article also references a fix for those still using 10.3.9.

For more information about Daylight Saving Time in general, see the Webexibits page or the U.S. Naval Observatory site.

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:VSeward -   TMO Staff Posts: 972 Joined: 28 Jun 2001
Subject: I would not expect less...

I don't recall having to play with DST adjustments on any OS X Mac, ever.

Anyone else have this experience?

Vern

Close Name:jbruni Posts: 105 Joined: 14 Jul 2006
Subject: Not in Arizona

We don't do DST.

Close Name:Sir Harry Flashman Posts: 792 Joined: 08 Feb 2007
Subject: Technically true, but

Quote
jbruni wrote:
Not in Arizona. We don't do DST.


During the summer months half the population of Arizona is here in San Diego. Escaping the monsoons, keeping cool on our beaches and enjoying the later sunsets.

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

when did the daytimesaving started,ie, in which year

Close Name:Sir Harry Flashman Posts: 792 Joined: 08 Feb 2007
Subject: Falling back is a later this year

Quote
VSeward wrote:
I don't recall having to play with DST adjustments on any OS X Mac, ever.

Anyone else have this experience?

Vern


The shift to standard time is later this year, by week I think. A lot of devices with embedded OSs of some sort will have already changed the time, things that are not connected to the "internets." Apple probably slipped this in an update earlier this year.

Close Name:Small White Car Posts: 1960 Joined: 02 Jul 2004
Subject:

Quote
VSeward wrote:
I don't recall having to play with DST adjustments on any OS X Mac, ever.

Anyone else have this experience?

Vern


You, like many Mac users, probably have your computer auto-update the time by checking someone's servers.

This article is in reference to the internal settings of the computer. If you go by the OS programming, depending on your OS, it might be wrong this weekend. The point is that an OS 10.5 computer that's not on the internet will update correctly.

But for most of us, it doesn't matter because even if the OS is wrong, once it checks the servers it will fix itself before you even wake up.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: ownership

All your DST's & adjustments are belong to us NOW !

Close Name:Sir Harry Flashman Posts: 792 Joined: 08 Feb 2007
Subject: Gotta love the headline

In today's San Diego Union Tribune:

"Hard to clock just how much energy is saved by extra daylight-saving time"

Close Name:smokeonit Posts: 25 Joined: 02 Feb 2005
Subject: EU CET went smooth...

EU CET went smooth. hopefully daylight savings time will be kicked in 2008 or 09... nobody realy likes it and even the EU politicans are ready to get rid of it!

Close Name:reznorb5 Posts: 23 Joined: 24 Mar 2003
Subject: re: I would not expect less...

Quote
Small White Car wrote:
Quote
VSeward wrote:
I don't recall having to play with DST adjustments on any OS X Mac, ever.

Anyone else have this experience?

Vern


You, like many Mac users, probably have your computer auto-update the time by checking someone's servers.

This article is in reference to the internal settings of the computer. If you go by the OS programming, depending on your OS, it might be wrong this weekend. The point is that an OS 10.5 computer that's not on the internet will update correctly.

But for most of us, it doesn't matter because even if the OS is wrong, once it checks the servers it will fix itself before you even wake up.


That is not correct. All Macs would be incorrect after the change if they're not updated. Macs (and Unix-based systems in general) set their date/time data on the hardware in GMT. Then it is up to the operating system to adjust for time zone and DST as needed. Around the world, every Mac with the correct time, Internet-updated or not, will have the same time set in GMT on the hardware.

Close Name:j.martellaro -   TMO Staff Posts: 97 Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Subject: Checking Time Servers

Reader reznorb5 is correct. Time Servers broadcast UT/GMT. It's up to the computer to adjust properly for local time.

-JM

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