Re: Eastern Standard Time

[Susan Gallagher <Susan_Gallagher_at_Enfin-SD -at- RELAY -dot- PROTEON -dot- COM>]

Reply-To:    "Chet W. Cady" <cady -at- OCLC -dot- ORG>


Original Message:
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If you saw hours of operation for a computer center in "Eastern Standard Time"
in something you were writing or editing, would the question bother you
whether the hours of operation during summer months shifted forward for Eastern
Daylight Time or whether they stayed on Eastern Standard Time?

Would you want to change the phrase to "Eastern Time"?  If you see a problem,
would you want to solve it some other way?  Or do you see no problem with
saying "Eastern Standard Time"?  (The American Heritage Dictionary
doesn't explicitly distinguish EST from EDT, and from its definition I wonder
whether EST can include EDT or whether the lexicographers overlooked the
distinction.)

Thanks!
Chet Cady
cady -at- oclc -dot- org
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Yes, I see a problem, in that, literally speaking, the hours of operation
probably change to EDT in the summer months (while standard time is still
standard in the summer, even tho it isn't used.  Remember the year we stayed on
daylight savings time all year long?).  I would use "Eastern Time" because that
implies "the current time scheme in the eastern time zone".  Just an opinion!
%-)

Sue Gallagher                                 |
Sr. Technical Writer                          |      "Updating a manual
Easel Corporation                             |     is like changing tires
Enfin Technology Lab                          |       on a moving car."
San Diego, CA                                 |        -- Edmond Weiss
Susan_Gallagher_at_Enfin-SD -at- relay -dot- proteon -dot- com |