Participants may be interested in this.
-Brooks
-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: The Epochalypse & Other Timely Updates
Date: Tue, 06 Oct 2026 16:15:21 +0000
From: 'Dru Lavigne' <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
The Epochalypse & Other Timely Updates
oct.png
When Time Gets Complicated
Time may look simple on the surface, but behind every timestamp is a
whole ecosystem working to keep our digital world on schedule. In this
edition, we look ahead to the Epochalypse, explore how devices keep up
with changing time-zone rules, and spotlight our institutional members.
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The Epochalypse Is Coming: Are You Ready?
Between 2036 and 2038, several widely used time representations will
reach rollover points—including those used by older versions of the
Network Time Protocol (NTP), older Unix time formats, and some GPS
systems. These events are often grouped under the name Epochalypse.
For affected systems, a rollover can cause dates to be misinterpreted or
systems to malfunction if the transition isn’t handled correctly. The
good news? Preparation starts now.
Network Time Foundation has launched a new Epochalypsepage
<https://email.mg.nwtime.org/c/eJxczUtutDAQBODTtJeo3e3nwov_14hrjGxjGBSDEZCQ3D7KS4qyqkV9qhoCJ-sZRQnSesnITqF4BIseOUnjTGI9ao80jn5IJY6UWXERcyAkIxGNNFKT7MqokkvZJlsoaudA4TJ163XOS-naPokaHue5HcD_gHqg_rquXzVQX7aWH7G-bUcB6kWd6j3m3J7X8z4PoP-DvoWPICLjrCIgAn37dEuc67xOfx1b9uy_3R7S3trTAQrLUJf42uW2iDP8fHyNipdA7wEAAP__l5dQvg>to
help organizations understand what’s ahead and follow the work being
done to prepare for these upcoming time rollovers. We’ll continue adding
resources and updates as the project progresses.
Missed the June SyncUp?
Our June community discussion focused on the upcoming rollover
challenges and what organizations can start doing now to prepare.
If you missed it—or want to revisit the conversation—you can find the
recording and presentation materialsin the Network Time Foundation
community:
* Watch the June SyncUp recording
<https://email.mg.nwtime.org/c/eJxczclOwzAQxvGnGd8a2eMtOfgAqvIalbemBi9V4gB9exQWCXGZufz0_4LhTk-ckmiYnhinfBSU3Exg3gceBAsxXIOalEWvpNKOORudupJkkKJilCqmmEQ2xKtwo_Pa6YhWjiMIWpahvvdU4tDWhWRz6_2-AX8CnAFn30rZa-qPPwhw7oDzy17j6eiftkf1-x1wFpwel-QlX6z3ba_9kgLIZ5BnczxEVKMWCIggz1-u2JRTXf47rvnEpx-3Gre29rqBoDHkYj8G3wrp5nfjO0reDH4GAAD__65_V6s>
* View the June SyncUp slides
<https://email.mg.nwtime.org/c/eJxczctO9CAYxvGrgd3XwAstsGDxmUlNXIyHOJnlpBzaMkKpLR317o2nxLh6Nr88f6eZEYoR7DUVijLCJCd41DVlnkkrFaNSWOi9In3XO84skYYYjoMGAg0lpKENrYFWvudGGiuM8NDVUiJO0lBNLyUkX-VlwFGPpcwrYv8RtAham1PaplDefiEE7TbH3LkVQbuOeSn_tiUiaC_988NOuPPhuD_Im3W4vzXHs7p73M_X1ex6HId46qzN21ROwaH6CtU7_TEA0EjBAQGgevfpUhdimIa_jgmmmPp2izZLzk8r4sS7mLrXyuaEi_5pfJ3ii4b3AAAA__-NSGCF>
Our next SyncUp is planned for early November. We’ll share the date,
time, and details in our next newsletter at the end of October.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Time Change: Who Tells Your Devices?
It’s that time of year again: the clocks are changing.
Have you ever wondered how your phone, computer, calendar, or other
connected devices know whento change? Or, what happens when a
jurisdiction suddenly changes its rules?
The answer involves a piece of global infrastructure called the IANA
Time Zone Database
<https://email.mg.nwtime.org/c/eJxczb1uhDAQBOCnWXdB612DTeEi0YnXONlmj7MCOAInRHn6iPw0V00xn2ZGz9H2jEq8tr1mZGdQ3X3qdWIMbDmxyIgUtZXx5kIUMuK0yp6QOo3Y6U63pBu5mehistEKhdY5MLhMzXrUvEhTtknN_l7r2w78DDQADcdxNDms4SyBhtM9fZVVdjVP8zWkVN7Xes0jtC_QXvwZRNQ5awiIoL38uCXkOa_To2PLPfd_bvNxK-V1B4Myzkv4bFJZVPX_H7-j6sPTdwAAAP__-XJPEw>.
Software and operating systems use this information to determine the
correct local time for a particular location.
The IANA Time Zone Database is continuously maintained by a community of
experts and contributors who track changes to time-zone policies around
the world. When governments change their rules around a daylight-saving
transition or by eliminating a seasonal time change, volunteer Time Zone
Coordinatorshelp ensure those changes are accurately recorded in the
database.
Then comes the next step: getting those updates onto your devices.
Software and operating-system vendors incorporate the updated data into
their products and distribute it through software updates. It turns out
that changing the clocks twice a year is a fascinating example of global
coordination.
Next time you wake up after a time change and your phone has already
adjusted itself, you can thank a lot of people you’ve probably never
heard of.
To learn more about the database and its history, check out:
* tz database — Wikipedia
<https://email.mg.nwtime.org/c/eJxczUtuxCAQBNDTNEuracDAgkWikU-QvcWn40Hjz8gmmSinj5zPJqtSSU9VJahkvULBQVovFSqnUVwDozbJOM8qY7Eafew1sTQSsyu-FFEDIfUSsZe9NCQ7ftXJpWyTZYrGOdC4TN36aHXhbtsnMYdra_cD1BPQADTw2j3qrd651HgCoOHsQMPL51hiiykeLOZpHmPO29vaxlrAPIO5hDOIqHdWExCBuXy7Jda5rtN_p6zyyv-6PaR9224HaOQyL_Gjy9siWvj7-BkV74G-AgAA__9yklKV>—
An overview of how the database is structured, maintained, and used
by software systems.
* A Literary Appreciation of the Olson/Zoneinfo/tz Database
<https://email.mg.nwtime.org/c/eJxczU1uwyAUBODTwM7W4wEGL1i0inyNCPCzQ4shskl_cvoq_dl0NbP4NDM7GcwogZMTZhQSpFXAL85q4aUWoAKZaIOIAygvpFhILgtp4Mkh4CAABjEIjaKnRQUbogmG0GtrmYJt7ct7Sxv1dV95dpfWrgeTTwwnhlPIde1farnNlHNfqDGcEGBkOAl4dMlw8l1OjXa_f3b-et0pJt9SLV1dunahruajlnstlMpS272bffPBH8Rw4nnNZx9jvZV2TjPTz0yf3CMQcbBGIUNk-vTtNp9yKut_J40c5fjrdhf2Wl8PpoDmvPmPPtaNN_f38TPK3xx-BQAA__9ZemYg>—
Jon Udell’s entertaining look at the surprisingly rich stories and
details contained in the time-zone data.
* How Time Zones Are Coordinated
<https://email.mg.nwtime.org/c/eJxcjUtu7CAURFcDMyy41wY8YPCeWt5Gi8-NGwVDZJM4yuoj5zPJqEqqo1PJYTAzSk5OmVmhRDtK_nApBU9xNEErTD5aE4OOEiZrDULSlmcHErSSUiutJlADPY3BhmiCIfCTtWyU2zrUs-eNhravvLhH7y8Hw38MFgbLeZ5Djr7Wa2WwUGWwhNLWg8GSqPtcrvZop7gc4qNVOoTfScTW9pSr75SEQiFRgAQUVHlZy93H2F5rv-fEpv9surkrAEBbMwIDYNPti9t8Lrmufzk0OOP8w-0u7K09H2yUlMrm34fYNt7d78e3lL85-AwAAP__5CZhuA>—
ICANN’s explanation of how policy changes make their way into the
global time-zone infrastructure.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Reach out
<https://email.mg.nwtime.org/c/eJxczUtuwyAQxvHTwC4WzIDBCxatIl8j4umggrFsUvf4VfqQqq5m8f9pvmDQqQkZjYariSNDLRi9G8DkPWg7xRgST4hS4ShTSDZxKXyg2QCDkTM28pFL4ENMwmnnlVMRrNSaCFaXYT17rnFo-0KLufe-HQRfCMwE5vM8_2QCc16Pnvuj57bacqmxurgf97xd7LaV7O0zEJhpWcrNet8ea7_lQOQrkVfzPAAwaiWAABB5_XLV5pLX5b9DhRNOP243bm_t7SCCxVCq_Rh8q7Sb343vp_TdwGcAAAD__zKdW5U>if
your organization is interested in becoming a supporting member.
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