Swatch Internet Time

The Internet Time (english internet time) is a concept of decimal time measurement. Since the concept is marketed by Swatch, this is partly as Swatch Internet Time and Swatch Internet Time, also Biel Mean Time ( BMT), respectively.

The Swatch Internet time should not be confused with the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC ), or with the Network Time Protocol, through which the Internet the computer watches are provided.

The Swatch Internet Time was launched by Swatch and the developer of the system Nicholas Negroponte on 23 October 1998. So far, it has, however, hardly enforced on the Internet or in states that span multiple time zones, some watches dominate the display at most as an additional function.

Structure of the Swatch Internet Time

Instead of the day as in the Babylonian system within 24 hours to 60 minutes to divide to 60 seconds, the day is divided into 1000 so-called beats. Such a beat is so 1 minute and 26.4 seconds long, for further subdivision can also specify Nachkommawerte. Listed is the time by an at sign (@) and the value.

The decimal division is reminiscent of the timing, which was introduced to the French Revolution, however, did not prevail: One minute in this timing corresponds to exactly one beat.

A key feature of the Swatch Internet time is that they will not be measured in different time zones, but is the same worldwide. @ 417 in Berlin is synonymous with @ 417 in Chicago and Tokyo. @ 0 is equivalent to 0 Clock Central European time in which the Swiss Biel / Bienne, the Swatch company office is situated. This is called internet time also Biel Mean Time ( BMT). Summer time is not considered.

Pros and Cons

The above- mentioned general validity of the time stamp is touted by the company Swatch as an advantage. Due to the progressive internationalization and in particular the advent of video conferencing and chat with the people around the world the disadvantages of the different time zones in appointments are becoming clearer, especially since the time zones also affect the dates. So it is 16 clock on October 31 in Chicago already 6 clock of the 1st of November in Tokyo. The fact that the time zones differ not only whole hours from UTC, but partly also in addition to a half or even quarter of an hour, the matter is further complicated. However, the UTC is already the default time on the internet. Time information on the Internet, for example in the header of an e -mail, are usually carried out either directly or in UTC, specifying the time zone, which is equivalent to UTC. Thus, the meaning of the Swatch Internet Time appears to be questionable.

Since this is in contrast to the Babylonian system is a decimal system, can be combined with the Swatch Internet time particularly simple count. If it is known that a day is divided into 1000 beats, it is for someone who expects the decimal system, obviously that an event which took 5500 Beats, five and a half days was. From 132 hours to close at the same time, however, does not fall so easily. But while the conversion is facilitated seemingly in days, the conversion to the SI unit second is more difficult.

However, there are also disadvantages of Internet time. To allow consistent time information, the date change was placed simultaneously worldwide after Internet time on @ 0. Not located in the Central European time zone, whichever is depending on location not necessarily at night. In New York this is, for example, by 18 clock to the usual chronology, which is not necessarily intuitive. The second was for the SI unit system is already set as the basic unit of time derived from the numerous other units, for example, speed, strength or frequency. Another zero meridian was introduced in addition to the Coordinated Universal Time ( UTC) By establishing the Central European time as reference time unnecessarily.

Due to the strong binding to the Swatch company the concept of many critics is considered as an advertising measure and not as a serious technical concept.