karl@haddock.ima.isc.com (Karl Heuer) (10/02/90)
In article <1990Sep30.064715.15589@zoo.toronto.edu> henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) writes: >In article <1990Sep30.013852.8764@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> cak3g@astsun9.astro.Virginia.EDU (Colin Klipsch) writes: >>With the addition of the divisible-by-4000 condition, the Gregorian >>calendar is now accurate to one day in 20,000 years... Interestingly, the approximation 365 + 1/4 - 1/128 is simpler, better suited to binary computation, and over four times more accurate. >My recollection is that the leap-millenium rule has never been formally >adopted by religious or political authorities, so it is *not* part of >the Gregorian calendar at this time. (We've got a little while left >before we need a decision, after all... :-)) Depends on *which* authorities. As I understand it, America and most of Europe do not use a quadrimillenium correction, but some relgious/political entities do. (No point to it, really, since the length of the year isn't sufficiently constant over that large a scale.) Also, as I've noted before, by the time it makes a difference (A.D. 4000) either the human race will be extinct, or will no longer base its fundamental units of timekeeping on the motions of an obscure planet in the slum area of the Orion Arm. Karl W. Z. Heuer (karl@kelp.ima.isc.com or ima!kelp!karl), The Walking Lint (Followups to comp.misc.)
hansm@cs.kun.nl (Hans Mulder) (10/03/90)
In article <18359@haddock.ima.isc.com> karl@kelp.ima.isc.com (Karl Heuer) writes: )In article <1990Sep30.064715.15589@zoo.toronto.edu> henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) writes: )>My recollection is that the leap-millenium rule has never been formally )>adopted by religious or political authorities, so it is *not* part of )>the Gregorian calendar at this time. (We've got a little while left )>before we need a decision, after all... :-)) ) )Depends on *which* authorities. As I understand it, America and most of )Europe do not use a quadrimillenium correction, but some relgious/political )entities do. (No point to it, really, since the length of the year isn't )sufficiently constant over that large a scale.) Could anybody indicate which religious/political entities claim to use the quadrimillenium correction? Just curious, Hans Mulder hansm@cs.kun.nl
asylvain@felix.UUCP (Alvin E. Sylvain) (10/09/90)
[Much ado about leap year checking omitted] >Also, as I've noted before, by the time it makes a difference (A.D. 4000) >either the human race will be extinct, or will no longer base its fundamental >units of timekeeping on the motions of an obscure planet in the slum area of >the Orion Arm. Hey hey hey! Watch your mouth buddy, we ain't a slum *yet!* Show some respect to the Mother Planet -- =======================Standard Disclaimers Apply======================= "We're sorry, but the reality you have dialed is no | Alvin longer in service. Please check the value of pi, | "the Chipmunk" or pray to your local diety for assistance." | Sylvain == == == == == == =I have no idea what my address is!= == == == == == ==