Re: to_timestamp() and timestamp without time zone - Mailing list pgsql-general

That's not the way in which the expression "Local (date) time" is normally used, 

rather the opossite.

A "localtime" is normally a time which is to be understood relatively to some 

unespecified timezone.

Precisely, when we (in common usage)

specify a datetime, we say a date, a time and then either add some 

specific timezone OR do not state it : just say "localtime". That is, we either say

"The event happened 2011-10-03 12:00:00 , Eastern Time"  

OR we say

"International offices will close the first semester at 2011-06-31 23:59:00 (localtime)"

In all the above examples the use of the “localtime” simply means “in the timezone in which the event physically happened or in which the post offices are physically located.  It is exactly in this sense that I suggest LocalTime be used.  The TimeZone itself may or may not be known but it is implied and present none-the-less.  This make sense because any time specification of a physical event can and is specified by an instant.  In fact, in pretty all common usage we are dealing with Instances and not “Relative Time”.  This is because we are dealing with the past and thus the “location” is already known.  It is when the location is unknown, in the future or if there could be multiple, that you supply the Abstract Time to the user and let them figure out at what Instant they should do something. So, saying “go to bed at 2AM local time” means “bed time is 2AM no matter where you are; when you arrive someplace attach your current TimeZone  to the 2AM Abstract Time and go to bed at that Instant.

That's also how the word is used in APIs  (see Joda time)

The Joda-Time API indeed defines its “LocalTime” is the same manner as I’ve suggested defining “Relative Time”; I would argue that their use of “LocalTime” is also mis-guided for the reasons already stated.  Saying that someone else does something is generally a poor defense for a position.  Group-think is useful but, as in this case, your supporting group is fallible; they made the same mistake as you (or rather your parroting of their position reflected their mistake as well).  It is a subtle and inconsequential mistake since most people would make the same one and the actual definitions and implementations are consistent and serve the needed purpose.  In the same way “timestamp” and “timestamptz” have their own “mistakes” surrounding them (due to the re-characterization during the version 7.x timeline) but they are consistently defined and implemented and provide the same two models that Joda-Time does – just under different labels.  One sensible paraphrase of “LocalTime” - to include the prefix “local” - is “A time value that needs to be localized in order to possibly represent an instant.”  This works but for this, as for other things generally, I first determine what it is I need to represent and then I scan the documentation for Names that seems to do similar things.  I then read the description so see whether I have found the correct one. Naming perfection is not required; as long as the label is close in meaning I’ll generally find what is needed if it is there.  Then I just associate that API/label with the behavior/feature I need and use it simply as-is – without an in-depth analysis of whether it is fully logical since – in programming – it is difficult to fix public “mistakes”.

David J.