Fwd: Time Zone Debate

Wed May 31 19:11:24 MDT 2006

Sent directly to Diana by mistake...

thanks

Steven

Début du message réexpédié :

> De : Steven DeWitt <news at stevendewitt.ca>
> Date : 31 mai 2006 22:09:51 HAA
> À : Diana Ost <Diana.Ost at msmcorp.com>
> Objet : Rép : Time Zone Debate
>
> Hello,
>
> I would say it depends on who the audience is. If you have an  
> international audience or want to make it *seem* that way, go even  
> further and use something like "8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Chicago (1400 -  
> 0100 UT)".
>
> Comments:
> - Why not work the text "Chicago" in there as you say, a lot of  
> people are better with places than numbers. Abbreviations get  
> confusing as they all look the same; don't forget that there is  
> also "Central European Time" for example.
> - Don't bother distinguishing between Standard and Daylight Savings  
> time, I think it would confuse a lot of people.
> - Don't forget that most people outside of the US and English  
> Canada are very accustomed to reading 24-hour time regardless of  
> the language they speak.
> - Don't bother telling international clients what time zone Chicago  
> is in, just tell them what the business hours are in UT, they  
> already have to do a calculation to convert to their own time zone  
> so why make them convert twice...
>
> Whatever you choose, the goal is to make people understand what  
> your business hours are no matter what time zone or continent they  
> are in/on, so whatever helps them to communicate during business  
> hours!
>
> Good luck,
>
> Steven
>
> -- 
> Steven DeWitt, C. Tran. (FR>EN, ES>EN, en>fr)
> Fredericton NB CANADA
> mail [at] stevendewitt [dot] ca
>
>
>
> Le 06-05-31 à 10:49, Diana Ost a écrit :
>
>>
>> This got the editor in me going :-)
>>
>> There should be a space between the stated time and AM or PM (8:00  
>> AM,
>> or just 8 AM). It is easier to read.
>>
>> Have you thought about using UTC - Universal Time. We used UTC (I  
>> called
>> it
>> GMT before - wrong oops!) time at the last place I worked, which  
>> is good
>> if you are giving information to people outside of the US. One
>> calculator is here that shows the hours offset and ZULU time (24 hour
>> clock): http://www.csgnetwork.com/utctimecalc.html
>>
>> This one is the World Clock that lists cities around the world, and
>> allows anyone to set up a personal clock:
>> http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/ We used this one for  
>> scheduling
>> meetings :-)
>>
>>
>>
>> Diana Ost
>> Technical Writer/Reporting Analyst
>> Production Administration
>> Market Street Mortgage Corporation
>> diana.ost at msmcorp.com
>> Phone (727) 431-7209
>> Fax     (727) 724-9096
>> 2650 McCormick Drive, Suite 200
>> Clearwater, Florida  33759
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: techwr-l-bounces+diana.ost=msmcorp.com at lists.techwr-l.com
>> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+diana.ost=msmcorp.com at lists.techwr-l.com] On
>> Behalf Of Lou Quillio
>> Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 10:42 PM
>> To: techwr-l at lists.techwr-l.com
>> Subject: Re: Time Zone Debate
>>
>> Lisa Dugger wrote:
>>> Which is the correct usage of listing multiple business hours with a
>>> time zone?
>>
>> Not a matter of "correct", rather "clear".  First thing we need to  
>> know
>> are the days, next the times, then the time-zone clarification.
>> You don't want to say "Central `Standard` Time" or "CST", just  
>> "Central
>> Time" or "CT":  let the reader correct for daylight savings.   
>> Depending
>> on audience, it can sometimes be clearer to just say "Chicago  
>> time" or
>> "(Chicago, U.S.)".
>>
>>   Monday - Thursday:  8AM - 7PM, CT
>>   Friday:  8AM - 7PM, CT
>>
>> Why no spaces/periods in the time (8:00 A.M.)?  It's visual noise,  
>> and
>> there's no clarity advantage.  Same with minutes.  Include 'em if  
>> they
>> matter, forget 'em if they don't.
>>
>> Is "CT" unclear?  Maybe, but probably not.  I see the days.  Got it.
>> I see the times.  Got it.  Wait.  They may not be in my time zone.
>> "CT" probably answers that (because there's a pattern of descending
>> significance).  If I'm on Central Time, I already know what's up.
>> If I'm not, I know I need to check it.
>>
>> In doubt?  Spell out "Central Time".  Global reach?  "U.S. Central
>> Time".
>>
>> Side by side now:
>>
>>
>>   Monday - Thursday:  8AM - 7PM, CT
>>   Friday:  8AM - 7PM, CT
>>
>>
>>   8:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. Monday through Thursday and 8:00 A.M. to
>>   7:00 P.M. Friday, Central Time.
>>
>>
>> Forget "correct".  Which is clearer, easier to parse?  More, which is
>> clearer to ESL users?
>>
>> You don't have to decode mine.  It's plain.
>>
>> LQ
>>
>>
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