Correct way to write 24 hour-time? Decimalpoint too.

(1) I see several worthy attempts to write the time in a 24-hour
format. Does a definitive format exist?

I want to leave out the seconds. Also note that I am NOT referring
to computer conventions of any sort.

QUESTION: If it is 11 minutes past six in the evening then what is
the correct format?

1816 hrs
18:16 hrs
18:16 hours
18:16 h
18:16
18.16
18-16

Does it vary between being written by a word processor and by hand?
See below.

(2) What is the correct way to write a decimal point? I am English
and that means that a comma is not the correct symbol for the decomal
point.

But ISTR that when the decimal point was written by hand it was in
the air about half the height of the digits. Typewriters and word
prorcessors did not offer that half-way character so a full stop was
used. But is it more correct to handwrite the decimal point as half
way up the height of the digits?




--

posted to 3 groups whose members probably
need to be accurate about time recording

Alex Coleman wrote:
(1) I see several worthy attempts to write the time in a 24-hour
format. Does a definitive format exist?

I want to leave out the seconds. Also note that I am NOT referring
to computer conventions of any sort.



Sat May 27 15:32:17 UTC 2006

15:32

In sci.physics Alex Coleman wrote:
(1) I see several worthy attempts to write the time in a 24-hour
format. Does a definitive format exist?

I want to leave out the seconds. Also note that I am NOT referring
to computer conventions of any sort.

QUESTION: If it is 11 minutes past six in the evening then what is
the correct format?

1816 hrs
18:16 hrs
18:16 hours
18:16 h
18:16
18.16
18-16

Does it vary between being written by a word processor and by hand?
See below.

(2) What is the correct way to write a decimal point? I am English
and that means that a comma is not the correct symbol for the decomal
point.

But ISTR that when the decimal point was written by hand it was in
the air about half the height of the digits. Typewriters and word
prorcessors did not offer that half-way character so a full stop was
used. But is it more correct to handwrite the decimal point as half
way up the height of the digits?



--

posted to 3 groups whose members probably
need to be accurate about time recording

Ignoring computers leaves military and aviation as users of 24 hour
time.

By their convention, when written, the time would be 1816Z if in UTC,
some other letter if a different time zone.

When spoken, it would be eighteen sixteen zulu if in UTC, or eighteen
sixteen local.

--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

On 27 May 2006, wrote:

In sci.physics Alex Coleman wrote:
(1) I see several worthy attempts to write the time in a 24-hour
format. Does a definitive format exist?

I want to leave out the seconds. Also note that I am NOT
referring to computer conventions of any sort.

QUESTION: If it is 11 minutes past six in the evening then what
is the correct format?

1816 hrs
18:16 hrs
18:16 hours
18:16 h
18:16
18.16
18-16

Does it vary between being written by a word processor and by
hand? See below.

(2) What is the correct way to write a decimal point? I am
English and that means that a comma is not the correct symbol for
the decomal point.

But ISTR that when the decimal point was written by hand it was in
the air about half the height of the digits. Typewriters and word
prorcessors did not offer that half-way character so a full stop
was used. But is it more correct to handwrite the decimal point
as half way up the height of the digits?



Ignoring computers leaves military and aviation as users of 24 hour
time.

That was not my intention. I am thinking of this purely for use by the
layman.

As this forum is accessed by computer then I wanted to be clear that
wideley used Unix or Microsoft time formats (however standard in
computing) are not relevant here.


By their convention, when written, the time would be 1816Z if in
UTC, some other letter if a different time zone.

When spoken, it would be eighteen sixteen zulu if in UTC, or
eighteen sixteen local.

On 27 May 2006, Sam wrote:


Alex Coleman wrote:
(1) I see several worthy attempts to write the time in a 24-hour
format. Does a definitive format exist?

I want to leave out the seconds. Also note that I am NOT referring
to computer conventions of any sort.



Sat May 27 15:32:17 UTC 2006

15:32



You would not put in "hours" or "hrs" then to qualify "15:32"?

In sci.physics Alex Coleman wrote:
On 27 May 2006, wrote:

In sci.physics Alex Coleman wrote:
(1) I see several worthy attempts to write the time in a 24-hour
format. Does a definitive format exist?

I want to leave out the seconds. Also note that I am NOT
referring to computer conventions of any sort.

QUESTION: If it is 11 minutes past six in the evening then what
is the correct format?

1816 hrs
18:16 hrs
18:16 hours
18:16 h
18:16
18.16
18-16

Does it vary between being written by a word processor and by
hand? See below.

(2) What is the correct way to write a decimal point? I am
English and that means that a comma is not the correct symbol for
the decomal point.

But ISTR that when the decimal point was written by hand it was in
the air about half the height of the digits. Typewriters and word
prorcessors did not offer that half-way character so a full stop
was used. But is it more correct to handwrite the decimal point
as half way up the height of the digits?



Ignoring computers leaves military and aviation as users of 24 hour
time.

That was not my intention. I am thinking of this purely for use by the
layman.

Then you are SOL since "layman" don't use 24 hour time and it confuses
most of them.

As this forum is accessed by computer then I wanted to be clear that
wideley used Unix or Microsoft time formats (however standard in
computing) are not relevant here.

24 hour time is not relevant at all to most people.

For those that it is, I gave you the convention.

For a time to be meaningful to geographically separated people, you
also need to account for time zones. Those too confuse "layman".

By their convention, when written, the time would be 1816Z if in
UTC, some other letter if a different time zone.

When spoken, it would be eighteen sixteen zulu if in UTC, or
eighteen sixteen local.


--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

In sci.physics Alex Coleman wrote:
On 27 May 2006, Sam wrote:


Alex Coleman wrote:
(1) I see several worthy attempts to write the time in a 24-hour
format. Does a definitive format exist?

I want to leave out the seconds. Also note that I am NOT referring
to computer conventions of any sort.



Sat May 27 15:32:17 UTC 2006

15:32



You would not put in "hours" or "hrs" then to qualify "15:32"?

To avoid confusing it with weeks or fortnights perhaps?

The ":32" isn't in hours.

--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

On a sunny day (Sat, 27 May 2006 16:24:09 +0100) it happened Alex Coleman
wrote in :

QUESTION: If it is 11 minutes past six in the evening then what is
the correct format?

18:16 hr

In alt.engineering.electrical, sci.physics, and alt.astronomy,
Alex Coleman ) wrote:

(1) I see several worthy attempts to write the time in a 24-hour
format. Does a definitive format exist?

Yes. RFC 2822. You're soaking in it now!

RFC 2822 is like RFC 822, except it keeps working after AD 99.

I want to leave out the seconds. Also note that I am NOT referring
to computer conventions of any sort.

Oh. Well, I suppose you could make two semaphore flags and hold them
at various angles to indicate which way the big hand and little hand go.

QUESTION: If it is 11 minutes past six in the evening then what is
the correct format?

1816 hrs
18:16 hrs
18:16 hours
18:16 h
18:16
18.16
18-16

Does it vary between being written by a word processor and by hand?
See below.

Hey, have you met our friend "Mr. 999 Centillion"? Maybe you and he
could refer to a computer convention together. Or perhaps a "Star Trek"
convention.

By the way, "16" is not a very good way to write "11", unless you're
using base 5, in which case you're going to go to jail for trying to
use the digit "6" which doesn't even exist in base 5. Stop trying
to confuse the issue with imaginary digits!

(2) What is the correct way to write a decimal point?

By using the sharp end of the pencil, not the rubber end. Remember,
if it's a "6H" pencil, the "H" stands for "Hard", so you might want
to start with an "Easy" pencil. Less chance of poking your eye out.

I am English and that means that a comma is not the correct symbol
for the decomal point.

Of course, 'cause England doesn't use decimals any more. They use Metric.
So a comma is no longer called a "point" but a dot is now called a "comma"
which is why in England "dot com" is pronounced "comma dotta". That's also
in one of the RFCs, probably the one down the street from me that used
to be a Popeye's.

But ISTR that when the decimal point was written by hand it was in
the air about half the height of the digits.

Now that's an impressive trick. How did they keep it from blowing away?
Also, how much does it reduce your postage if you write a whole letter
using that special ink that hovers in the air? Are you Harry Potter?

Typewriters and word prorcessors did not offer that half-way
character so a full stop was used. But is it more correct to
handwrite the decimal point as half way up the height of the digits?

Halfway up the one to the left, or halfway up the one to the right?
This is important because you might have multiple sizes of digits if you
want your gasoline's price to end in "point nine point nine point nine".

-- K.

So do you have any exciting
math theories based on the
research of Jack Bauer?

"Alex Coleman" wrote in message
...
| (1) I see several worthy attempts to write the time in a 24-hour
| format. Does a definitive format exist?

"Definitive" means how you define it.

|
| I want to leave out the seconds. Also note that I am NOT referring
| to computer conventions of any sort.

So leave them out. Nobody is forcing you to put them in.

|
| QUESTION: If it is 11 minutes past six in the evening then what is
| the correct format?
|
| 1816 hrs
| 18:16 hrs
| 18:16 hours
| 18:16 h
| 18:16
| 18.16
| 18-16
|

Any of
hhmm hrs
hh:mm hrs
hh:mm hours
hh:mm h
hh:mm
hh.mm
hh-mm
18:11

I dunno how you got from 11 minutes past to 16 minutes past.

| Does it vary between being written by a word processor and by hand?

I noted that you are NOT referring to computer conventions of any sort.

| See below.
|
| (2) What is the correct way to write a decimal point?

Is that by ballpoint, fountain pen, pencil, chalkstick, typewriter, on a
barn door,
on paper, in a movie, or some other media? Some people simply stab the
implement,
others write a tiny circle.


| I am English
| and that means that a comma is not the correct symbol for the decomal
| point.

I am part Welsh, part English, but that doesn't prevent me from reading
Deutsch (I don't speak it well, though).
"Beispiele ähnlicher Art, sowie die mißlungenen Versuche, eine Bewegung
der Erde relativ ..."

| But ISTR that when the decimal point was written by hand it was in
| the air about half the height of the digits. Typewriters and word
| prorcessors did not offer that half-way character so a full stop was
| used. But is it more correct to handwrite the decimal point as half
| way up the height of the digits?

Err... yes.
Oops, I used three decimal points as periods (or as full stops) together as
an ellipsis.
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/ellipsis
I wonder if you'll see the difference? The spacing between the dots isn't
quite right.

Get over your hang-up, all you really need is to be understood and
English is known worldwide. Those that pretend not to understand are trolls,
those that do not understand are either morons or simply uneducated. Learn
their language or wait until they learn English. In the meantime continue
to write in English.
Androcles

|
|
| --
|
| posted to 3 groups whose members probably
| need to be accurate about time recording