After long and extended discussions TECH: between Winfried and Mike, long ago , the Geographic Society of Vexillium decided to introduce a new time zone system.
Why had the old system to be abandoned?
CMT - Christiana Mean Time[]
CMT time zones
The old "Christianan" system time zones extended 7 1/2 degrees east and west from each 15-degree meridian. The "zero" time zone, called Christiana Mean Time (the only time zone with a name), was centered on the zero-degree meridian, or prime meridian as it was called sometimes.
What were the advantages of this system? The only perceivable advantage was the symmetry. But there have been severe disadvantages.
Most states of Vexillium are delineated by 15-degree meridians. This means that there was, in general, no coincidence between time zones and national borders. Even worse, most countries have not been allocated to one single or preferable time zone. Even Cruisana, having given its name to the prime time zone, lay within this zone only half.
VTC - VexTime-Cruisana[]
VTC time zones on the Old Continents
VTC time zones on the New Continents
The prominent features of the new system are:
1. Most time zones coincide with national boundaries. Nations now have a natural time zone to rely upon. Therefore, each country is allocated a single time zone (refer to graphics for details). Nations with remarkable east-western strech (like Armatirion) may use several time zones as before.
2. Time zones are counted with respect to the Vexillium Day Reset Meridian (VDRM) fixed some time ago, at "between +9 and -14 time zones", i.e. 142°30'E[1]. While longitudes still count from 0° to +/- 180°, time zones count from -14 to +9 hours. Thus the VDRM has become an integral part of the new time zone system.
3. As a continuing reverence to the inventor of the old system, the new "prime time zone" will be called "VTC" TECH: recalling Earth's Universal Time Coordinated (UTC) with the meaning "Vexillium new Time zone system - Cruisana zonal time", for short: "VexTime-Cruisana". Cruisana now indeed lies nearly completely in this zone (except for half of the island Carolus.
Use of Other Time Zone Systems[]
Adding the old term CMT to time designations (e.g. on legacy web sites) will indicate the use of the old system, thus avoiding confusion.
Nations using other terms or systems (like "UTC") are encouraged to publish definitions.
UTC - Coordinated Universal Time[]
(explanation)
- ↑ On Monday, 26 March 318 at 13:08, a poll concluded: "The IDL should NOW MOVE to between the +9 and -14 timezones." The IDL, or intenational date line, is the same as the VDRM.