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Google's New Public NTP Servers Provide Smeared Time (googleblog.com)

Posted by msmash on from the fixing-things dept.

Google says it has built support for the leap second into the time servers that regulate all Google services. An anonymous reader shares a blogpost by Google:No commonly used operating system is able to handle a minute with 61 seconds, and trying to special-case the leap second has caused many problems in the past. Instead of adding a single extra second to the end of the day, we'll run the clocks 0.0014% slower across the ten hours before and ten hours after the leap second, and "smear" the extra second across these twenty hours. For timekeeping purposes, December 31 will seem like any other day. All Google services, including all APIs, will be synchronized on smeared time, as described above. You'll also get smeared time for virtual machines on Compute Engine if you follow our recommended settings. You can use non-Google NTP servers if you don't want your instances to use the leap smear, but don't mix smearing and non-smearing time servers.

9 of 179 comments (clear)

  1. Does this mean.... by The-Ixian · · Score: 3, Funny

    Does this mean that my DPS will be slightly higher on December 31st?

    --
    My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
    1. Re:Does this mean.... by Diss+Champ · · Score: 3, Funny

      That depends largly on whether you play better or worse while drunk. The NTP server tweak will be a secondary effect at best.

    2. Re:Does this mean.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Does this mean that my DPS will be slightly higher on December 31st?

      No. It means you'll lose a second of uptime.

  2. Sounds like a part of the Star Trek:DTI Manual by wiredog · · Score: 5, Funny

    "don't mix smearing and non-smearing time servers"

    --

    Best Slashdot Co
  3. Some examples of smeared time by squiggleslash · · Score: 5, Funny

    At 4.37 it'll report that 4.38 molests goats. 4.38 will retaliate by claiming 4.37 killed a man and lied about it. 4.39 will accuse 4.38 of secretly having two wives who know nothing about one another. 4.40 will claim 4.38 and 4.37 are having a secret affair and are making up allegations about one another to hide the fact. 4.41 will claim 4.40 is a multiple felon. 4.42 will accuse 4.41 of cheating on his taxes...

    --
    You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    1. Re:Some examples of smeared time by Ashtead · · Score: 4, Funny

      And meanwhile 4:20 enjoys a joint off to the side.

      --
      SIGBUS @ NO-07.308
  4. Re:What does Trump have to do with this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Oh, and here I thought it was "Trump for cows, cows that Trump". MOOOOO!

    Now go edit your luddite hosts file apps and get off my lawn.

  5. Well actually... by watermark · · Score: 4, Funny

    *pushes glasses up* *straightens pocket protector*

    Actually, they would need to run the clocks 0.0013889% slower. If ran the clocks 0.0014% percent slower, they would gain 1.008 seconds instead of just 1 second even.

    Hire me Google. I'll save the internets for you.

  6. Re:O cursÃd spite by Bruce+Perens · · Score: 4, Funny

    Geez, foiled by Slashdot's non-UTF8-ness again.

    --
    Bruce Perens.