[tz] draft of change summary for next tz release

[Lester Caine]

STILL battling with pigging windows computers ... up until 2AM last night and 
1AM this morning ... now to get W7 to actually load VNC so I can log in :(

Wallace, Malcolm wrote:
> I am concerned about the change of Europe/Vaduz into a link to Europe/Zurich.  There was a long discussion about how and when Swiss time was standardised, yet no-one (except myself) seemed concerned that Vaduz is not actually in Switzerland.  No attempt was made to show whether Liechtenstein follows the timezone rules for neighbouring Switzerland, and if it does, when that decision was made by the legislature.

Personally I share your concern, and *I* would like to see some mechanism in 
place so that even the current possible incorrect data was handled as part of 
the extended database we keep talking about. That two countries use the same set 
of rules is not a problem, but even just adding the link because they MAY have 
had the same change over date seems wrong. I think it is this inference that is 
creating confusion. But finding the real data is the key going forward, and we 
need local input for that?

First silly thought ... arbitrary date for 'condensed' database is 1972 as 
defined by a time related event ... UTC started ... So the 'condensed' database 
is simply UTC related data. It's just a number ... but that seems better?

I'm trying to help with the idea of the addition of 'thousands' of timezones, 
and in the end if there is evidence for thousands in the USA then they simply 
need documenting anyway! I'm glad that this corner of Europe is a little easier. 
It sounds as if small pockets of communities combined over a period of time? So 
my idea of an 'extended' file is still probably valid, but instead of a single 
entry showing the link to the 'condensed' timezones, there will be additional 
cross links within it to other location tags. My LMT *and* LMTZ data stays in 
'extended' and only the 'condensed' data is kept separate. I think that what is 
confusing people is that some timezones have historic data that does not relate 
to the locations being linked to it? I've found additional data that pre-dates 
GMT and currently those timezones have their own id's but how do you later add 
id's if similar material is uncovered? Either all historic stuff is in 
'extended' or it all goes into 'current'?

Using the particular link being discussed Europe/Vaduz -> Europe/Zurich Have we 
not established more material pre 1972 for Europe/Zurich which probably does not 
apply to Europe/Vaduz? Not had time to digest all the material :(

I would still like to tidy up 'backward' as well to actually contain dates that 
a particular alias was used from 'officially'. There must be a lot of archive 
material that uses them, and if one can cross check that a timezone was 
'official' then it's a cross check on that material. This is more history that 
is being lost!

-- 
Lester Caine - G8HFL
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