[geeks] Now for something completely geek

[Mike Meredith]

On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 02:42:03 -0500 (CDT), Jonathan C. Patschke wrote:
> On Thu, 24 Aug 2006, der Mouse wrote:
> 
> > I don't see what's so bizarre about having daylight hours being,
> > say, 23:30 to 12:30 instead of 07:00 to 20:00.
> 
> You're also a computer programmer, and, therefore, adept at abstract
> thinking.  Most folks, sadly, are not.

True enough, but most people would eventually get used to it.

> The whole reason DST exists is because people can't decouple
> themselves from what "time" things are "supposed to" happen.  These

Interestingly enough, DST actually exists as a measure introduced to
save fuel during WWI (the US was somewhat slow to introduce it). It was
most strongly opposed to those tied to solar day ... farmers again.

> owls like myself to fend for ourselves as per usual).  A lot of
> service folks would actually serve their clients -better[1]- by
> working "after hours".

Or before hours. There's a UK law that requires employers to take under
consideration that parents of children might want to work non-standard
hours. A number of people in my team took advantage of it ... to a man
(accurate not sexism) they chose to come in early so they could go early
to collect children from school.

This has been so successful (principally because server problems are
commonly fixed before most users notice) that flexitime was introduced
for the rest of us very rapidly. This does *not* usually happen at $work
... our finance department is still firmly stuck in the 1950s.

> So, yeah.  I'd like it.  I think it'd help people see the silliness
> inherent in synchronized schedules.  I don't think you'll ever
> convince Joe Sixpack that 3pm is "late at night", regardless of what
> the moon and sun say, though.  That'd take a generation to settle out.

As I said ... it's worth trying just for the amusement value :)

> [1] Oh, the arguments I got into with the management at my previous
> job.
> 
>      $boss:  Why are you just getting in[2] at 3pm?

Classic case of incompetent micromanagement. Neanderthals who don't
trust their staff to work if they aren't there to crack the whip ... and
never mind they aren't there when the work *really* gets done.