Comments on: What time is it? http://otb.manusoft.com/2007/06/what-time-is-it.htm Random thoughts about AutoCAD, ObjectARX, and the meaning of life. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:57:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Owen Wengerd http://otb.manusoft.com/2007/06/what-time-is-it.htm/comment-page-1#comment-34 Owen Wengerd Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:39:33 +0000 http://otb.manusoft.com/?p=33#comment-34 I expect the NIST time servers (which, as you point out, are not really "free" because US taxpayers pay for them) are sufficient for most applications. However, commercial time servers should theoretically offer some guarantee, and in any case, someone to blame when there's a problem. For some applications, that is more important than cost. I expect the NIST time servers (which, as you point out, are not really "free" because US taxpayers pay for them) are sufficient for most applications. However, commercial time servers should theoretically offer some guarantee, and in any case, someone to blame when there's a problem. For some applications, that is more important than cost.

]]> By: Herman Mayfarth http://otb.manusoft.com/2007/06/what-time-is-it.htm/comment-page-1#comment-33 Herman Mayfarth Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:35:39 +0000 http://otb.manusoft.com/?p=33#comment-33 FWIW, here is URL containing list of all NIST time servers:<br />http://tf.nist.gov/tf-cgi/servers.cgi<br />and more on the keeper of official NIST time here:<br />http://www.visitkarpathos.com/articles/?article=17<br /><br />> Modern electronic systems, such as electronic navigation or <br />> communications systems, depend increasingly on precise time and time <br />> intervals,” Dr. Matsakis said. “Examples would be the ground-based <br />> LORAN-C navigation system and the satellite-based Global Positioning <br />> System.<br /><br />With 22 timeservers, software which can hop among servers should not <br />encounter a situation where all are down, unless massive areas of the <br />Internet are down, in which case other issues may very well take <br />precedence.:)<br /><br />In fact, I've used Atomtime:<br /><br />www.atomtime.com for many years to sync my PC clocks to NIST, and never <br />encountered a problem other than my own Internet connection being down.<br /><br />I don't know anything about "commercial" time servers, but my guess is <br />they just resell USNO time.<br /><br />Why pay for it again? You already paid last April 15 (and the year <br />previous, etc.). FWIW, here is URL containing list of all NIST time servers:
http://tf.nist.gov/tf-cgi/servers.cgi
and more on the keeper of official NIST time here:
http://www.visitkarpathos.com/articles/?article=17

> Modern electronic systems, such as electronic navigation or
> communications systems, depend increasingly on precise time and time
> intervals,” Dr. Matsakis said. “Examples would be the ground-based
> LORAN-C navigation system and the satellite-based Global Positioning
> System.

With 22 timeservers, software which can hop among servers should not
encounter a situation where all are down, unless massive areas of the
Internet are down, in which case other issues may very well take
precedence.:)

In fact, I've used Atomtime:

http://www.atomtime.com for many years to sync my PC clocks to NIST, and never
encountered a problem other than my own Internet connection being down.

I don't know anything about "commercial" time servers, but my guess is
they just resell USNO time.

Why pay for it again? You already paid last April 15 (and the year
previous, etc.).

]]> By: Outside The Box » Blog Archive » Digital Signatures: Practical Guidelines http://otb.manusoft.com/2007/06/what-time-is-it.htm/comment-page-1#comment-61 Outside The Box » Blog Archive » Digital Signatures: Practical Guidelines Mon, 10 Dec 2007 13:17:07 +0000 http://otb.manusoft.com/?p=33#comment-61 [...] it or after it is saved. You should also consider subscribing to a commercial time service (see What time is it?) to ensure that your signatures are accompanied by a reliable time stamp in case your digital ID [...] [...] it or after it is saved. You should also consider subscribing to a commercial time service (see What time is it?) to ensure that your signatures are accompanied by a reliable time stamp in case your digital ID [...]

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