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PlasmaMan
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PlasmaMan
464 posts
Nomad

I know that there's lots of people out there that have different time zones than others. What if when you post a comment then under where it shows the time they would've posted it in your timezone it shows their time of comment.

  • 7 Replies
acmed
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acmed
3,517 posts
Nomad

This actually sounds like a good idea. But some people do random countries on their profile, so wouldn't that mess it up?

I think you should put this in Get Satisfaction .

Cenere
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Cenere
13,657 posts
Jester

http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq1/Cerene_Cerine/Help%20Service/world_time2.gif
This handy sheet is handy too*.
Simple addition and subtracting.

*Sponsored by Department of Redundancy Department.

cormyn
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cormyn
2,891 posts
Nomad

We've talked about this already. Our idea is that we could get the timezone of your browser via Javascript and use that to adjust times on the page.

Usually, though, we try to keep to the "1 minute ago", "10 minutes ago", "yesterday", "one week ago" kind of relative times.

Ernie15
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Ernie15
13,344 posts
Bard

Our idea is that we could get the timezone of your browser via Javascript and use that to adjust times on the page.


It sounds like it would be easier on the server for the user to just select which of the 24 timezones they would like to use. Those who are not logged in or have not selected their time zones will see everything in AG time.

Although that sounds a bit primitive, I suppose. Maybe it would be best to just do what you said.
cormyn
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cormyn
2,891 posts
Nomad

easier on the server for the user to just select which of the 24 timezones they would like to use.


Yeah, I faced this at a previous job (it was a private online university) where the CEO started worrying that the students around the world wouldn't know how to find their own time zone, because if they set the wrong one, their class schedules would be all wrong, etc.

Obviously nothing on AG is really time-critical like that, but it does raise the question of whether our users would actually know their proper time zone.

Aside from a "what time is it where you are right now?" sort of prompt, and letting the user set an approximate time, I'm not really sure.

Modern operating systems ask for a time zone when they're set up, and users generally adjust this the first time they set up the computer and then never change it.

We could maybe do it based on GeoIP lookup when you register?
Ernie15
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Ernie15
13,344 posts
Bard

it does raise the question of whether our users would actually know their proper time zone.


There could be a "view timezone map" button under the timezone drop-down menu. Hopefully most people signing up will know at least where in the world they live.

It could also be approached in a trial-and-error sort of way, in the sense that a user who selects the wrong timezone will notice sooner or later that the site's time does not correspond with "real life" time. In which case, they can continue to select timezones until they find the one that matches their time.

We could maybe do it based on GeoIP lookup when you register?


Some users may not necessarily want to find out that their approximate location is known. There may even be a small percentage of users who will get suspicious if the site already knows what timezone they're in. Granted, almost everyone would overlook it, but there will always be that few who don't want anyone online to know the general area of where they supposedly are.
KyahcoSukaimasutae
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KyahcoSukaimasutae
311 posts
Nomad

well i'm not sherh i little them knowing my local but i'm sherh facebook know it and is making money off it (like every thing else and they admit it!) but i trust AG not to do that... I HOPE!... but most every one would not even know unless there a geek like me (not a nerd, a geek!!! big diff one just smart the others not always) but the time zone map thingy is a little big but you could put a like to time.gov or something... but people in other countrys but the USA woulden't little that so it would have to be a iternetional site...

trial-and-error sounds enough to me i mea you should figure out that the time on you computer is differnete than the one on AG...

why not just make an online javascript that just gets a system sample of you time (or if suporoted your time zone) and uses that... there could be the problem they got it wrong but you browser usauly will tell you that it is wrong or if you go to some sites it errors... but they should look at a clock and figure out it off, unless where in the twilight zone and all the clocks a wrong and differnt (had that happen all the clocks at home where one time but all the clocks out of home where an hour earlyer... it was not fun... and it was not day light saving etheir plus they where right the day before... DODODODODODOD DOO DOOOO! lol)

i think all of those would be fine the trial-and-error with maybe a link to a map would be nice...

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