Why “Always use UTC” is bad advice
engineering.q42.nlWhile I agree that there are situations where it is necessary to store the offset and timezones, I also wish that we could jsut "always use UTC" period. Not just for storing instants, but for any use of time. I wish we could abolish time zones and daylight savings and just use a single time system across the world. It would take some getting used to daylight hours not matching up with the same times that we are used to, but I think in the long term it would be much simpler.
We moved from each city had its own time to timezones because of the need to make sense of railways time tables. Generally speaking, because people started to travel faster and more often. I'm not sure there is a reason as compelling as that one for the general population to approve a global switch to UTC. Furthermore when I know I'm landing in Sydney at 6:40 AM local time in August I know it will be chilly. With UTC I'll have to do some math. Quick, is that night or afternoon? 3, 2, 1... Time's out.
Both India and China use a single timezone. Opinions seem mixed, but from what little I've read it definitely doesn't seem a slam-dunk solution. The grass isn't greener on the other side.