Is more detailed timezone history desired?

[Alois Treindl]

Olson, Arthur David (NIH/NCI) wrote:
> Top priorities would be:
> 1. Ensure that the format of the time zone source files is adequate to
> represent historical changes.

I am confident I can manage the format

> 2. Document changes since 1970-01-01 (the POSIX epoch).

I think all changes refer to the pre-1970 period.

Because I read in the docu that the focus of tzdata is the post-1970
time range, I have asked my question.

The large majority of tzdata users might consider such historical detail
data to be unnecessary noise, which just blows up the database volume
and confuses the innocent Linux installer when a strange number of zones
appears as a choice.

I admit that probably only astrologers are interested in such details of
timezone history. Of course, Thomas Shanks was/is one too. He would not
have done his work, otherwise.

If I get told that "official" tzdata is not interested in having 50
zones for France, or 15 zones for Germany, I will not get angry.

In such a case I will aim for a privately maintained variant of tzdata
and not bother you with minority-interest issues.