Re: TO_TIMESTAMP_TZ and unix timestamps

From: DA Morgan <damorgan_at_x.washington.edu>
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 08:40:26 -0800
Message-ID: <1106843870.572768@yasure>

Sybrand Bakker wrote:

> On 26 Jan 2005 10:46:27 -0800, "SuperMega" <jagacontest_at_hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>

>>The poor cpu does not know, that is correct.
>>The function TO_TIMESTAMP_TZ does however,

>
>
> The poor cpu only doesn't know when sysadmin's don't set their TZ
> variable correct.
>
>
> --
> Sybrand Bakker, Senior Oracle DBA

I understand your point but respectfully disagree. The problem is not necessarily with the server.

Suppose I am inputing data on events and the server is recording an event_id and timestamp. If I assume that all transactions occur in the TZ where the server is located your idea works but from my experience that is rarely the case. Usually they want to record the time in the TZ in which it occurred. And in the US that is a wrap your own affair, for several states, if you wish to be accurate.

I helped sort out a train wreck at a very large cellular company a few years back where sales commissions were improper for sales made in Alaska and Hawaii because commissions were calculated on a server in Texas (Central Time) meaning sales made at the end of the last day of the month were mistakenly credited to the following month causing some sales people to not just lose income but in a few cases lose their jobs and needless to say it escalated to the point of lawsuits being filed.

Keep in mind I'm saying this from a country that still can't even figure out how to go metric so some allowances must be made.

-- 
Daniel A. Morgan
University of Washington
damorgan_at_x.washington.edu
(replace 'x' with 'u' to respond)

Received on Thu Jan 27 2005 - 10:40:26 CST