[Python-Dev] Stdlib and timezones, again (original) (raw)

Lennart Regebro regebro at gmail.com
Mon Oct 1 09:02:08 CEST 2012

On Mon, Oct 1, 2012 at 1:24 AM, Christian Heimes <christian at python.org>wrote:

I like your basic approach but I'm suggesting a slightly different approach. Before I explain my proposal I like to get a naming convention straight.

integrated tz database ---------------------- A copy of the Olson database that is shipped with every version of Python (not just Windows). The integrated database is updated with every feature release of Python.

system tz database ------------------ That's an interface to the operating system's or platform's tz database. We probably have to provide multiple backends for different OSes, Java etc. update tz database ------------------ A PyPI package that contains a current version of the Olson database. A new version of the update tz should be provided by the Python core developer team every time a new Olson database is available. The updatetz must never be distributed with the Python source code and shall not be installed by a distributor. Optionally we can include the code that creates an update tz package from a Olson database. By default Python tries to load the updatetz first, then systemtz (if available) and finally the integratedtz. A user can query the status and version of the databases, set and get the currently used database with three functions. The used database can also be set with an environment variable: datetime.gettzdatabase() -> "integrated" or "system" or "update" datetime.settzdatabase(name) datetime.listtzdatabases() -> {"integrated": "version", "system": "???" "update": "version", # only if an update tz db is installed } PYTHONTZDB = "integrated" or "system" or "update" With this setup users get the full benefit of system updates but can use the integrated or update database if they don't like the operating system's data.

I don't want to default to a database that is guaranteed to be out of date. I don't see the purpose. This is also why I'm skeptical at including the data on Windows.

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