by Bruce Sommerville.
An effective world time system, useful for planning events on a global scale (as we SLEDers must), should have at least the three following functions: a world timezone map, a forward planning capability, and the capacity to show the time in different parts of the world simultaneously. However I have yet to find one that does all three satisfactorily. What follows is a brief review of four available on the Web (for PC/Windows operating system):
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1) EarthWatch (ElanWare Inc.): This downloadable freeware shows the time zones, the paths of the sun and moon, and the night shadow, over a map of the world, in real time. An almanac panel is displayed below the map. EarthWatch can be downloaded for free, although a payment of $25 is canvassed.
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Strengths: It is intuitively easy to view and understand, since the earth is shown moving imperceptibly slowly from west to east, while the sun remains stationary in the centre of the screen. Areas of daylight and dark are very clearly delineated. The location of several hundred cities can be shown at once. A configuration menu accommodates forward planning, as it can be set at any future date, time, or location. Moreover, a 'fast forward' option enables the motion to be accelerated, in small increments, so the changes in the time and shadow over various parts of the earth can viewed quickly for a given period of time, past or future. The date in different east-west hemispheres is also shown by two bars across the top of the map. This is excellent for forward planning of events.
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Weaknesses: While the program shows the local time quite accurately, the exact time at other parts of the earth is not shown simultaeously. The time, approximate to the nearest hour, in other time zones can only be obtained by referring to a time scale of 00-23 running accross the bottom of the screen. However, since the minutes of the hour is generally the same world-wide, the minutes can be read off one's own local time, and added on to the hour read off the scale, thus giving the exact time in another time zone. Although one's local clock can be adjusted very easily for daylight saving time, a mental recalculation must still be made when reading off the time in other parts of the planet not on daylight saving time (that is, one may have to add or subtract an hour to estimate their time). No calendar is available.
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2) Tech-Pro World Clock: This can be downloaded for a free trial period, or the basic model purchased for $19.99. This is another world time zone map, showing a night shadow moving in real time across the face of the earth, also showing the local time and date in large lettering at the top. A year calendar can be viewed.
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Strengths: Selected cities can be shown on the map, along with their concurrent times and dates. Thus the time and date in various parts of the world can be seen simultaneously. Daylight saving time adjustments are handled automatically. The map is visually attractive, and shows nightime cities 'lit up', based on NASA photos.
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Weaknesses: Only one local time, as read from your own system clock, is available; that is, the time cannot be altered to switch the local time to another city. Furthermore, the time and date cannot be moved backward or forward, so the program has no real forward planning capability. Time zones are not shown. This program is excellent for seeing your own time, and the time in other parts of the world, 'now', and where it is daylight or dark, but is not very useful as a forward time planning tool, unless 'now' is the same time of day as when you plan to hold your event.
http://www.tech-pro.net/ .
3) Kybtec World Clock: This program can be downloaded for free, but registering the clock for future updates will attract a once only payment of $24.95. This is a world clock, in contrast to a time zone map or sun clock map. One can set up as many clocks, set to different time zones, as one wishes. The clocks are shown as part of the desktop. Monthly and yearly calendars can be viewed.
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Strengths: A wide variety of colours, sizes, and clock faces, digital and analogue, can be selected. The time settings for each clock you wish to set up are chosen from a very comprehensive menu. The clocks can be given the name of a city, or any preferred name ( e.g. 'Second Life', set to Pacific Daylight Time). A list of clocks can be created, and any or all shown on screen by selecting from a menu. Thus the clocks you wish to view on your desktop can be easily changed. A time conversion tool is also available, which enables the user to set a different date and time for any location, whereupon the corresponding time in other locations is shown immediately (this does not affect the time shown on the desktop clocks). This is a highly accurate and simple time conversion facility, excellent for forward planning.
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Weaknesses: There is no time zone map or sun clock, so a graphical illustration of world time is not available. The Help menu requires some interpretation.
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4) World Time Zone. This is a website, providing a variety of time and clock functions and services. The homepage consists of a world map, showing the different time zones, and the present time in all zones simultaneously. Links are provided to other pages containing a sun clock map, a world clock (in the form of a table) listing the concurrent times in many cities around the world, a call planner, and an interactive map for forward planning, which shows the time in various major cites on a map for any future date or time. A monthly calendar can be viewed with the call planner.
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Strengths: The tools offered are excellent for forward planning of events, and seeing the results on a world map. This one has everything, and it is free to view; downloadable versions are offered for a fee, but it is unclear which features are included.
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Weaknesses: Being a website, and offering a free service, it is peppered with advertisements, and thus is not very visually appealing.
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As for Second Life, many fine clocks and watches are available, but none seem to have effective world time planning capabilities. The 'Calendar Cog' recently mentioned on this list will poll a Google calendar periodically, and provide a reminder of upcoming events via the SL chat window, but does not show the calendar itself.
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In general, the choice of a good timepiece and calendar is difficult, and is a matter of individual needs and preferences. I use a combination of (1) EarthWatch, (3) Kybtec World Clock, and Google calendars for event reminders. If other SLEDers have found the perfect world clock, map, and calendar, then please let us (all) know. Those SLEDers with Apple Macs may be better served in this regard, and perhaps they can post their thoughts and findings on Celestial Mechanics, World Clocks, and Event Planning.
