difference between timezone and offset
This is something I tried and failed to explain to a Computer Science graduate some years ago. The Computer Science graduate assumed I was trying to make a point about seconds difference between UTC and GMT. No. I hope this doesn't count as slop, but Gemini can put it pretty well: User Question 1 what is the conceptual difference betwen a timezone and an offset AI Response 1 While they both help us tell time across the globe, a time zone and an offset are fundamentally different concepts. An offset is a static mathematical calculation, while a time zone is a dynamic geographic region governed by local laws. What is an Offset? An offset is the exact amount of time added to or subtracted from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) to get the local time. Format: It is always expressed as a plus or minus sign followed by hours and minutes (e.g., +01:00 or -05:00). Nature: It is purely digital and mathematical. Limitation: It does not account for daylight saving time (DST) o...