[tz] New Yorker article on David Mills and NTP

[Paul Gilmartin]

On 10/4/22 11:05:49, Fred Gleason via tz wrote:
> On Oct 4, 2022, at 12:07, Steve Allen wrote:
>
>> The implementation of time in computing systems is fragile because it
>> is based on an unrealistic notion that clocks are always right and
>> never need to be reset.
>
>    ... There have been only 27 leap seconds introduced since 1972, which means that deployed systems rarely have to cope with one and thus get the inevitable bugs identified and shaken out.
>
> It would almost be beneficial if such an event would occur at least once per annum, to allow the ‘reset’ logic to be regularly exercised.
> 
So UTC might run 1e-7 slower than the TAI rate, impelling about
3 "negative" leap seconds (the innocuous kind) annually to test
the software.

There are 3 desiderata:
o Atomic accuracy (UT1 violates this)
o Agreement with solar time (TAI violates this)
o Freedom from discontinuities (UTC violates this)

Pick your two favorites.

-- 
gil