[tz] (no subject)

[Alois Treindl]

Dale Harris wrote:
> So something like the TZ database can be taken down by some hokum like
> astrology?  Wonderful...


This is not the time to belittle the work of astrologers in contributing
to timezone history research.

We should not try to discuss the validity of astrology here. Of course
it is a controversial subject. If you investigate it you will find that
quite a few intelligent and well educated people do not consider it
'hokum' but a valuable field of study.

Of importance for the tz database is however that is has always been
ASTROLOGERS who have undertaken huge efforts to record timezone history
in all its details.

Astrologers and Astronomers are the only professions who really need
correct and complete information about the setting of local clocks at
every place and every moment of history.

Astronomers need it to record observations correctly, and they usually
do the 'reduction' to universal time immediately at observation time.

Astrologers need it to be able to calculate correct astrological charts.
Birth date and hour are recorded usually in local time, without anyone
taking note of what timezone or DST is currently in use. As the
astrologer is usually not present at birth, he/she depend on correct and
complete timezone history records.

tz database would not have the great content it has without the data
assembled and published by astrologers.

I agree totally with everybody here that this information belongs to the
public domain.

My colleagues at Astrolabe Inc are sadly misguided in their attempt to
privatize public information. I am sure they will not win their lawsuit,
and I am willing to contribute substantially to the defense fund of
Olson and Eggert, as soon as such a fund is formed.