Strobe wrote:
> Ubuntu 8.04 GUI gives a wide selection of time zones - but I can't see
> a GMT option.
>
> How can I set my computer to Zulu/UTC time?

Ub 8.04 likes to do it by 'location' rather than timezone, which might
seem a little awkward to some. But the prime meridian is Greenwich which
can be considered Europe/ London.

--
Mike Easter

On Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:10:50 -0700, Mike Easter wrote:

> Strobe wrote:
>> Ubuntu 8.04 GUI gives a wide selection of time zones - but I can't see a
>> GMT option.
>>
>> How can I set my computer to Zulu/UTC time?
>
> Ub 8.04 likes to do it by 'location' rather than timezone, which might
> seem a little awkward to some. But the prime meridian is Greenwich which
> can be considered Europe/ London.

Are you sure he wants to set his time zone to London or set the system
clock to UTC and have the OS do an offset for where he is as opposed to
setting the hardware clock to the timezome he's in. I would suspect he's
about GMT-4

There was an option about that during install but I haven't had cause to
ever change it since.

--
Q: Want to lower petrol prices?
A: Easy, just boycott BP & Esso

On Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:33:48 -0400, Strobe wrote:

> Ubuntu 8.04 GUI gives a wide selection of time zones - but I can't see a
> GMT option.
>
> How can I set my computer to Zulu/UTC time?

Try the command

tzselect

After you answer the questions, the output will tell you how to set your
profile.
That might do the trick.


stonerfish

Strobe wrote:
> Ubuntu 8.04 GUI gives a wide selection of time zones - but I can't see a GMT
> option.
>
> How can I set my computer to Zulu/UTC time?
>


If you do not have Windows on the computer, GMT/UTC/Z is preferred for a
Unix-like OS. If you do have Windows, then local time is usually all
Windows can properly handle.

Start off by setting the computer's hardware clock in the BIOS to the
correct GMT/UTC/Z. Or local time if you multi-boot with Windows.

The Unix/Linux OS will then read the hardware clock and adjust the
system clock -- the one it keeps in software -- to whatever time zone
you prefer in the system settings. When you shut down, the system clock,
including any adjustments, will be written back to the hardware clock in
the hardware clock's original preferred time zone.

IOW, the sloppy CMOS hardware clock is just used for a ball-park startup
time until the Unix/Linux system can fetch and make adjustments to the
system time to correct the CMOS drift.

Get more info here:

http://www.ntp.org

http://support.ntp.org/bin/view/Main/WebHome

You should install the ntp package so your computer's system clock will
be automatically adjusted to the correct time. This is important and
will provide accuracy when checking logs and message headers. Having the
wrong time is only acceptable if you are away from Earth, and not
connected to any other computer over a network via wire or radio, and
playing computer solitaire.

You will never need to worry about time again. Not even when the silly
governments play God, and do their leaping and falling every year.

Here is info on ntp, but if available, you should use Synaptic to
install it. This info is also provided by right-clicking the package
name in Synaptic and choosing "Properties" and looking under the various
tabs. However, that GUI display can't be shown here.


john@ubuntu8.04:~$ apt-cache show ntp
Package: ntp
Priority: optional
Section: net
Installed-Size: 1044
Maintainer: Ubuntu Core Developers
Original-Maintainer: Debian NTP Team

Architecture: i386
Version: 1:4.2.4p4+dfsg-3ubuntu2
Replaces: logcheck-database, ntp-refclock (<= 1:4.2.0a+stable-9ubuntu2),
ntp-server, ntp-simple (<= 1:4.2.0a+stable-9ubuntu2)
Provides: ntp-server
Depends: adduser, libc6 (>= 2.7-1), libcap1, libreadline5 (>= 5.2),
libssl0.9.8 (>= 0.9.8f-1), lsb-base (>= 3.0-3), netbase, sysv-rc (>=
2.86.ds1-14.1ubuntu2)
Recommends: perl
Suggests: ntp-doc
Conflicts: ntp-refclock (<= 1:4.2.0a+stable-9ubuntu2), ntp-server,
ntp-simple (<= 1:4.2.0a+stable-9ubuntu2)
Filename: pool/main/n/ntp/ntp_4.2.4p4+dfsg-3ubuntu2_i386.deb
Size: 432044
MD5sum: cf6cdfb742f399bb322b8e5c9e62e7ba
SHA1: 46177ae62a444de4dc34d9a80865e86ee4f77160
SHA256: cd4ff566d4cd6379157bfbc7c6d2e31e84a323d0d239705baf 5432f0e46bd2b5
Description: Network Time Protocol daemon and utility programs
NTP, the Network Time Protocol, is used to keep computer clocks
accurate by synchronizing them over the Internet or a local network,
or by following an accurate hardware receiver that interprets GPS,
DCF-77, NIST or similar time signals.

Trevor Best wrote:
> Mike Easter wrote:
>> Strobe wrote:
>>
>>> Ubuntu 8.04 GUI gives a wide selection of time zones - but I
>>> can't see a GMT option.
>>>
>>> How can I set my computer to Zulu/UTC time?
>>
>> Ub 8.04 likes to do it by 'location' rather than timezone, which
>> might seem a little awkward to some. But the prime meridian is
>> Greenwich which can be considered Europe/ London.
>
> Are you sure he wants to set his time zone to London or set the
> system clock to UTC and have the OS do an offset for where he is
> as opposed to setting the hardware clock to the timezome he's in.
> I would suspect he's about GMT-4
>
> There was an option about that during install but I haven't had
> cause to ever change it since.

In general Unix sets the system clock to GMT and marks everything
accordingly. For display it can then convert to local time.
However Winders is not smart enough, and sets the clock to local
time. For this reason Linux is setup to accept either clock system
and do the necessary conversions when installed in a dual-boot
setup.

--
[mail]: Chuck F (cbfalconer at maineline dot net)
[page]:
Try the download section.

** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

On Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:20:31 -0400, CBFalconer wrote:

> Trevor Best wrote:
>> Mike Easter wrote:
>>> Strobe wrote:
>>>
>>>> Ubuntu 8.04 GUI gives a wide selection of time zones - but I can't
>>>> see a GMT option.
>>>>
>>>> How can I set my computer to Zulu/UTC time?
>>>
>>> Ub 8.04 likes to do it by 'location' rather than timezone, which might
>>> seem a little awkward to some. But the prime meridian is Greenwich
>>> which can be considered Europe/ London.
>>
>> Are you sure he wants to set his time zone to London or set the system
>> clock to UTC and have the OS do an offset for where he is as opposed to
>> setting the hardware clock to the timezome he's in. I would suspect
>> he's about GMT-4
>>
>> There was an option about that during install but I haven't had cause
>> to ever change it since.
>
> In general Unix sets the system clock to GMT and marks everything
> accordingly. For display it can then convert to local time. However
> Winders is not smart enough, and sets the clock to local time. For this
> reason Linux is setup to accept either clock system and do the necessary
> conversions when installed in a dual-boot setup.

You can change this setting in
/etc/default/rcS

stonerfish

On Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:33:48 -0400, Strobe wrote:

> Ubuntu 8.04 GUI gives a wide selection of time zones - but I can't see a
> GMT option.
>
> How can I set my computer to Zulu/UTC time?

It'd be great if everyone on the planet would use GMT. Then 3:45 GMT
would the be same no matter where one is located. The time zone map as
it exists today is a tangle of zones not always demarcated by straight
lines north/south. Then there are some places which refuse to adjust for
daylight savings.

GMT would sure keep it simple and less confusing.



--

=================================================
Franz Fripplfrappl

franz fripplfrappl wrote:
> On Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:33:48 -0400, Strobe wrote:

Notice the time stamp you attributed on Stobe's post. That is a perfectly
acceptable way to express time, in localtime with timezone offset to UTC.

> It'd be great if everyone on the planet would use GMT.

In the first place, the GMT term is actually 'outmoded' in favor of UTC.

In the second place, localtime 'means something'. It means something if
something is 4 oclock in the afternoon or if it is 4 oclock in the morning
localtime, whether you choose to express that as 04:00 or 16:00 or 4 AM or
4 PM. When I express something as 22:00 UTC, my local timeofday effect
(4am vs 4pm) is missing from my communication to someone in my same
timezone.

> Then 3:45 GMT
> would the be same no matter where one is located.

That method of expressing time you used above is improper/noncompliant;
and 03:45 UTC *IS* the same no matter where one is located.

> The time zone map as
> it exists today is a tangle of zones not always demarcated by straight
> lines north/south. Then there are some places which refuse to adjust
> for daylight savings.

People who are expressing time in 'mixed' company of people from all over
the world should not use timezone letters to express their localtime.
They should express their localtime with the correct offset for UTC, and
they should do so compliantly, which your 3:45 GMT was not, just as the
time stamp in the attribution line above.

> GMT would sure keep it simple and less confusing.

Forget about GMT, except for its historical significance and its
'relationship' as a precedent to UTC and the fact that the term is often
used 'in place of' to mean UTC.


--
Mike Easter

In article ,
Strobe wrote:

> Ubuntu 8.04 GUI gives a wide selection of time zones - but I can't see a GMT
> option.
>
> How can I set my computer to Zulu/UTC time?

Tell it you're in Monrovia, Liberia. Its time zone is UTC+0.

I see someone has suggested using London. That *almost* works, except
the Brits observe daylight savings time. Liberia does not.

--
--Tim Smith

In article ,
"Mike Easter" wrote:
> > It'd be great if everyone on the planet would use GMT.
>
> In the first place, the GMT term is actually 'outmoded' in favor of UTC.
>
> In the second place, localtime 'means something'. It means something if
> something is 4 oclock in the afternoon or if it is 4 oclock in the morning
> localtime, whether you choose to express that as 04:00 or 16:00 or 4 AM or
> 4 PM. When I express something as 22:00 UTC, my local timeofday effect
> (4am vs 4pm) is missing from my communication to someone in my same
> timezone.

Someone in your time zone would presumably know whether 22:00 UTC is in
the morning or the evening, because it is the same every day. There are
enough fixed things in most people's lives, they would have plenty of
references. E.g., they would know that they normally get off work at
23:00 UTC, or 22:00 UTC if daylight savings time is in effect, so could
easily relate your proposed event at 22:00 to that, and know it is in
the late afternoon or early evening, depending on the season.


--
--Tim Smith

Tim Smith wrote:
> Strobe wrote:
>
>> Ubuntu 8.04 GUI gives a wide selection of time zones - but I
>> can't see a GMT option.
>>
>> How can I set my computer to Zulu/UTC time?
>
> Tell it you're in Monrovia, Liberia. Its time zone is UTC+0.
>
> I see someone has suggested using London. That *almost* works,
> except the Brits observe daylight savings time. Liberia does not.

That's because Liberia is near the equator. No need for daylight
savings time.

--
[mail]: Chuck F (cbfalconer at maineline dot net)
[page]:
Try the download section.

** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

On Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:23:33 -0700, Tim Smith wrote:

> In article ,
> "Mike Easter" wrote:
>> > It'd be great if everyone on the planet would use GMT.
>>
>> In the first place, the GMT term is actually 'outmoded' in favor of
>> UTC.
>>
>> In the second place, localtime 'means something'. It means something
>> if something is 4 oclock in the afternoon or if it is 4 oclock in the
>> morning localtime, whether you choose to express that as 04:00 or 16:00
>> or 4 AM or 4 PM. When I express something as 22:00 UTC, my local
>> timeofday effect (4am vs 4pm) is missing from my communication to
>> someone in my same timezone.
>
> Someone in your time zone would presumably know whether 22:00 UTC is in
> the morning or the evening, because it is the same every day. There are
> enough fixed things in most people's lives, they would have plenty of
> references. E.g., they would know that they normally get off work at
> 23:00 UTC, or 22:00 UTC if daylight savings time is in effect, so could
> easily relate your proposed event at 22:00 to that, and know it is in
> the late afternoon or early evening, depending on the season.

Even in the United States, we use Zulu for many scientific and military
purposes that require synchronization across time zones. Using Z for
other purposes would require amendment of a huge body of law and
procedure, much of it based on the pre-tech (indeed, pre-human) prejudice
against being abroad at night.

On Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:31:41 GMT, jellybean stonerfish
wrote:

>On Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:33:48 -0400, Strobe wrote:
>
>> Ubuntu 8.04 GUI gives a wide selection of time zones - but I can't see a
>> GMT option.
>>
>> How can I set my computer to Zulu/UTC time?
>
>Try the command
>
>tzselect
>
>After you answer the questions, the output will tell you how to set your
>profile.
>That might do the trick.

Thank you.
Tzselect didn't like 'GST' alone but seems to accept 'GST-0'.
It looks like "TZ='GST-0'; exportTZ" will do what I want, since tzselect shows
local and UTC time to be identical with that selection.

Now, I'm off to find where Ubuntu keeps my profile and change it...

On Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:00:46 -0700, Tim Smith wrote:

> In article ,
> Strobe wrote:
>
>> Ubuntu 8.04 GUI gives a wide selection of time zones - but I can't see a
>> GMT option.
>>
>> How can I set my computer to Zulu/UTC time?
>
> Tell it you're in Monrovia, Liberia. Its time zone is UTC+0.
>
> I see someone has suggested using London. That *almost* works, except the
> Brits observe daylight savings time. Liberia does not.

Only because the farmers want their point of ciderrr at 'afv pas' ten, ooh
arrrr!

--
Q: Want to lower petrol prices?
A: Easy, just boycott BP & Esso

On Fri, 13 Jun 2008 02:50:10 -0400, Strobe wrote:

> On Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:31:41 GMT, jellybean stonerfish
> wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:33:48 -0400, Strobe wrote:
>>
>>> Ubuntu 8.04 GUI gives a wide selection of time zones - but I can't see
>>> a GMT option.
>>>
>>> How can I set my computer to Zulu/UTC time?
>>
>>Try the command
>>
>>tzselect
>>
>>After you answer the questions, the output will tell you how to set your
>>profile.
>>That might do the trick.
>
> Thank you.
> Tzselect didn't like 'GST' alone but seems to accept 'GST-0'. It looks
> like "TZ='GST-0'; exportTZ" will do what I want, since tzselect shows
> local and UTC time to be identical with that selection.
>
> Now, I'm off to find where Ubuntu keeps my profile and change it...

Add the line

TZ='GST-0'; export TZ

to the end of the file ~/.profile

stonerfish

Trevor Best wrote:
> On Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:00:46 -0700, Tim Smith wrote:
>
>> Tell it you're in Monrovia, Liberia. Its time zone is UTC+0.
>>
>> I see someone has suggested using London. That *almost* works, except the
>> Brits observe daylight savings time. Liberia does not.
>
> Only because the farmers want their point of ciderrr at 'afv pas' ten, ooh
> arrrr!
>
Windows has a time setting utility that calls WWV here in the states and
get GMT time and then converts it to whatever your location and
preferences are. Linux should have something similar since it is a tiny
application.
Bill Baka

Bill wrote:
> Trevor Best wrote:
>> On Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:00:46 -0700, Tim Smith wrote:
>>
>>> Tell it you're in Monrovia, Liberia. Its time zone is UTC+0.
>>>
>>> I see someone has suggested using London. That *almost* works,
>>> except the
>>> Brits observe daylight savings time. Liberia does not.
>>
>> Only because the farmers want their point of ciderrr at 'afv pas'
>> ten, ooh
>> arrrr!
>>
> Windows has a time setting utility that calls WWV here in the states
> and get GMT time and then converts it to whatever your location and
> preferences are. Linux should have something similar since it is a
> tiny application.
> Bill Baka


I thought you were a (self-proclaimed) smart engineer type, Bill.
Someone who listed several dozen technical journals.

But you must have failed to read my rather lengthy post in this group
yesterday about the ntp program in Unix/Linux.

Seeing the spew of newsgroup articles you posted yesterday, I'm
beginning to wonder if you've mis-adjusted your communication balancer
to favor output above input. ;-)


--
John

No Microsoft, Apple, Intel, Novell, Trend Micro, nor Ford products were used in the preparation or transmission of this message.

The EULA sounds like it was written by a team of lawyers who want to tell me what I can't do. The GPL sounds like it was written by a human being, who wants me to know what I can do.

On 2008-06-13, Bill wrote:
> Trevor Best wrote:
>> On Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:00:46 -0700, Tim Smith wrote:
>>
>>> Tell it you're in Monrovia, Liberia. Its time zone is UTC+0.
>>>
>>> I see someone has suggested using London. That *almost* works, except the
>>> Brits observe daylight savings time. Liberia does not.
>>
>> Only because the farmers want their point of ciderrr at 'afv pas' ten, ooh
>> arrrr!
>>
> Windows has a time setting utility that calls WWV here in the states and
> get GMT time and then converts it to whatever your location and
> preferences are. Linux should have something similar since it is a tiny
> application.
> Bill Baka

It does. NTP clients exist on pretty much every OS on the planet.
You don't even have to install anything in Ubuntu, just go in to your
time and date settings, and set the configuration to "keep
synchronized with Internet time servers". It will install NTP
support, and you are all set.


--
Joe - Linux User #449481/Ubuntu User #19733
joe at hits - buffalo dot com
"Hate is baggage, life is too short to go around pissed off all the
time..." - Danny, American History X

John F. Morse wrote:
> Bill wrote:
>> Trevor Best wrote:
>>> On Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:00:46 -0700, Tim Smith wrote:
>>>
>>>> Tell it you're in Monrovia, Liberia. Its time zone is UTC+0.
>>>>
>>>> I see someone has suggested using London. That *almost* works,
>>>> except the
>>>> Brits observe daylight savings time. Liberia does not.
>>>
>>> Only because the farmers want their point of ciderrr at 'afv pas'
>>> ten, ooh
>>> arrrr!
>>>
>> Windows has a time setting utility that calls WWV here in the states
>> and get GMT time and then converts it to whatever your location and
>> preferences are. Linux should have something similar since it is a
>> tiny application.
>> Bill Baka
>
>
> I thought you were a (self-proclaimed) smart engineer type, Bill.
> Someone who listed several dozen technical journals.

I have to skim read and just get the juicy parts, except for things like
DR. Dobbs which I try to digest in full.
Have YOU ever tried to read 30 journals a month and keep up with the
daily update emails? I'm an engineer (mostly) but also a chemist of
sorts, Medical research addict, sub-atomic nuclear physics, designing
neat things for the military (Those balls under the UAV planes have a
lot of my designs in them, and time out to exercise. I just can't read
and be an expert on everything, but if I get a contract to do something
next Monday, then the whole weekend goes to getting up to speed.
>
> But you must have failed to read my rather lengthy post in this group
> yesterday about the ntp program in Unix/Linux.

Like I said I can't read everything. I'm busy working on three possibly
patentable inventions now so I am scattered pretty thin.
One was just inspired by the death of a pregnant 17 year old Mexican
girl from heatstroke. If an invention can save lives then I will do it.
Then maybe some homeless, undereducated Americans might do the work
instead of looking for a government handout.
>
> Seeing the spew of newsgroup articles you posted yesterday, I'm
> beginning to wonder if you've mis-adjusted your communication balancer
> to favor output above input. ;-)
>
>
I post in spurts because I am out a lot and turn off the computer to
avoid adding to the A/C load and save the power bill from the greedy
computer. Where I post may be proper netquette, but I will answer line
by line.
Enough for now.
Bill Baka