[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #18146: Add user-level & front end timezone display flexibility according to a fixed time [GMT:0] (was: Add user-level timezone setting)

[WordPress Trac]

#18146: Add user-level & front end timezone display flexibility according to a
fixed time [GMT:0]
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 Reporter:  RanYanivHartstein  |       Owner:  swissspidy
     Type:  feature request    |      Status:  assigned
 Priority:  normal             |   Milestone:  Future Release
Component:  Date/Time          |     Version:
 Severity:  major              |  Resolution:
 Keywords:  needs-patch        |     Focuses:
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Comment (by vstars):

 Dear Rarst,

 You reflexion makes sense and I agree on most of it.
 There is however a way I think that would allow to bypass some
 difficulties.
 Indeed, any time set by a user would be shown to another according to its
 time difference.
 So, there could be a set time zone in the main wordpress, then all other
 times are located X hours ahead or after.

 Therefore there would be only one raw information stored for time, all
 others would be displayed according to this "fixed time", ie GMT 0 for
 exemple, plus or minus a certain amount of hours depending on their time
 zone.

 Does it make sense?

 Have a great day,

 Vincent

 Replying to [comment:40 Rarst]:
 > I definitely thought about user time zone making sense before. Also I
 think this wouldn't be too hard on technical side once we get through
 current push to clean up the Date/Time component.
 >
 > However my more recent thoughts end up in a space of some serious UX
 implications. Introducing concept of user time zone implicitly in any
 place through the front end and admin immediately causes serious
 ambiguities.
 >
 > User is setting a publish time on a post — are they using site time or
 user time?
 > User sees time output in admin — do they see site time or user time?
 > Users sees time output on front end — do they see site time or user
 time?
 >
 > User locale works well because it's "obvious". User time is
 significantly more prone to cause errors in site operation and
 communication between site users.
 >
 > On admin side I would guess all date picker workflows would need to be
 looked at and reworked for extreme clarity of what happens with user time
 zone in effect.
 >
 > On front end side I am not confident we could just override outputs with
 user time zone. It might make sense to keep current function outputting
 site time, and introduce new API functions to output user time explicitly.
 Not sure.

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/18146#comment:42>
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