James Newton wrote:

> Why don't we start thinking about dates in terms of scientific notation? In
> other words, we don't need to keep track of ranges of time longer than our
> current precision, but when we set an arbitrary starting point, and use a
> number system that doesn't include an exponent, eventually it has to fail.
> Why not use a mantissa and exponent for the year or over all date?

The problem with mantissa and exponent is that the resolution depends on
the distance from the reference point 0. That has its own set of problems. 

Also for going back into the past things are a bit more complex. Once you
go back more than a couple hundred years, you usually have to take into
account the different calendars that at different times in different
cultures were used. Subtracting 730'485 days from today and saying that
this was April 20, 8 is not going to help anybody much.

Date as we know it is not a scientific measure, it's a social measure.
(Here the treaded "human factor" creeps in again :)

Gerhard

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