ISO 8601 is a numeric data interchange format. However, it uses limited non-numeric characters as data markers, and attempts to preserve human readability, but is mostly designed for reliable computer parsing.
It does not concern itself with expanding month number into a name, or indeed any "word" representation of the data. However, I think you can logically read 1776-07-04 as "seventeen seventy six, July the fourth," (or omit "the") with the commas representing pauses. This is probably a preferable way to learn a historical timeline. --- On Tue, 3/10/09, Stephen Mangum <[email protected]> wrote: > From: Stephen Mangum <[email protected]> > Subject: [USMA:43645] Re: 24 hour time > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> > Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2009, 2:38 PM > I prefer DD-MM-YYYY (and other formats in this order), but > have found myself > writing YYYY-MM-DD as of late. The problem I have with the > latter is the > difficulty in reading it. 4 July 1776 can be read "the > fourth of July, > seventeen seventy six." How does one read 1776-07-04? > Or is the discussion > about announcements and hours and not prose? What I like > about the ISO > standard is the lack of confusion: I think most Americans > will know what it > means, while they will read 04/07/1776 as "March > seventh." > > Stephen Mangum > > On Tue, Mar 10, 2009 at 11:16 AM, Brian J White > <[email protected]> wrote: > > > There aren instances where that's handy.....but > really, ISO standard is > > the way to go, worldwide. > > It's more hidden than anything else. I usually > see it on receipts and > > schedules and such. But not for "human" use > per se. Shame too, because it > > works nicely worldwide. > > > > > > At 11:08 2009-03-10, Stephen Humphreys wrote: > > > > I like the "Oracle" (huge US software > company) way of doing things: > > 'DD-MON-RR' or 'DD-MON-YYYY' > > So today would be 10-MAR-09 or 10-MAR-2009 > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > From: [email protected] > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: [USMA:43635] Re: 24 hour time > > Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:18:24 -0400 > > > > You are correct in fostering the use of the ISO date > format; however, > > I prefer to use a dash (-) rather than a slash (/) as > a separator in the > > date format. > > For example 20009-03-10. A dash makes it better > readable. > > Stan Doore > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: John Frewen-Lord <[email protected]> > > To: U.S. Metric Association <[email protected]> > > Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2009 5:49 AM > > Subject: [USMA:43628] Re: 24 hour time > > > > The best way for the US to change its date format is > to go straight to the > > ISO format of YYYY/MM/DD. When Canada converted in > the late '70s, this was > > the official format at the time, and all Canadian > Federal and Provincial > > government documentation at the time had to follow > this format. > > > > Regretfully, and primarily thanks to Mr Gates, this > seems to have been > > abandoned, due in no small part to Windows defaulting > to the US-only format, > > regardless of which country it is sold in. > > > > This is not merely of academic interest. I bank with > HSBC, and have both > > UK and Canadian bank accounts, including something > called Global View, where > > I can view on line (and switch money on line between) > my accounts in both > > countries simultaneously. The UK accounts are shown > in DD/MM/YY format. > > The Canadian ones are shown in MM/DD/YY format when > looking at statement > > summaries or selecting a date range to view a > statement - but the individual > > entries in that statement are shown in DD/MM/YY > format! Needless to say > > this is infuriating and confusing, and I wonder why > HSBC do this, as they > > are UK-based. However, my printed Canadian statements > are postmarked in NY > > State with US postage, so there must be a US > connection in there somewhere. > > > > If anyone does online currency trading, all the > trading platforms are in > > YYYY/MM/DD format, and various online videos I receive > from US-based gurus > > and experts are also usually shown in this format. > This does save a lot of > > confusion. > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: David <[email protected]> > > To: U.S. Metric Association <[email protected]> > > Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2009 9:07 AM > > Subject: [USMA:43625] 24 hour time > > > > What are the changes of the United States adopting 24 > hour time instead of > > the AM/PM thing? Would there be some kind of law > (which would probably occur > > after metrication) or would it just be one of those > things people just > > adopt? What about date standards? I would like to see > America start using > > DD/MM/YY instead of MM/DD/YY. What does it take for a > country to adopt a > > date/time standard? > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Windows Live just got better. Find out > more!<http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/134665375/direct/01/> > > > > > > > > > -- > Stephen
