Re: [ntpwg] Bug: Status/Summary of slashdot leap-second crash on new years 2008-2009

M. Warner Losh
2009-01-08T15:05:44Z

In message: <20090108104854.2dbc41b1@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk>
Alan Cox <alan@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk> writes:
: > On FreeBSD, Solaris and Digital Unix, I'll point out, that jumping
: > backwards is used, and has been used since at least 1994. So saying
: > it isn't used in the world today is flat out wrong.
:
: I stand by my comment - when was the last time the IERS used a leap
: second removal ? The code may exist but it doesn't happen.

Jumping backwards is used for every leap second that IERS has ever
done, which was your original comment. There's has never been a case
where there was a leap second for jump forward though. The proper
technical term here is 'negative leap second'. All leap seconds up
until now have been positive leap seconds, and it is unlikely there
ever will be a negative one.

Warner