Re: [HACKERS] Date/time types: big changeu

> >> Also, I've changed the default date style to "ISO" (not just in
> >> time for Y2K, but we'll be ready for "Y3K").
> > I think we need a consensus on this.  I think this may be a problem for
> > some people.  Comments?
> Good point.  Perhaps there should be a way to select the default date
> style at configure or initdb time.  I don't mind if the "default default"
> is ISO, but if I had apps that were dependent on the old default setting
> I'd sure be annoyed by this change...

I've been talking about this for quite some time, but there *really*
is no excuse to not go to the ISO date/time standard. Every other date
style is prone to misinterpretation, and the ISO standard is commonly
used in other instances where reliable date reporting is needed.

I've waited until a major rev to do this, and the groundwork has been
there for a year or two. There are some good summaries of the issues
on the web.

But, I'd have no objection to a configure or initdb option; I *would*
suggest that the old default (and it is the default mostly because
original Postgres95 had no other styles implemented) is a relatively
poor choice, and that ISO should be the default choice in the absence
of an explicit configure or initdb switch.
                   - Thomas

-- 
Thomas Lockhart                lockhart@alumni.caltech.edu
South Pasadena, California