Re: Time Issues.

[Pat Suwalski <pat suwalski net>]

Thanks for replying. Comments inline.

Bengt Thuree wrote:
> I can see two solutions, 
> 1) Do not manipulate the time in EXIF at all, at least then we know what
> we have :) No matter from which camera we import the photos.

I think this is best. Unless there is a very good reason to modify a 
file, it shouldn't be modified. This also happs to play havoc with my 
rsync backups.

> 2) Add a timezone field to each photo. This solution is the best, but
> currently mono is not handling timezone's. (will handle it not to far
> into the future though).

Is this really necessary? I don't know anyone who actually goes and 
modifies their time in their camera when they travel. I certainly don't, 
and even if I do, the time in my laptop doesn't change. Since the camera 
doesn't encode the timezone, it wouldn't solve any real issue.

I think that time management is solving a problem for a relatively small 
number of cases while breaking it for many more. Really, unless photo 
sharing is happening, and the two or more cameras are in different 
timezones, there is no problem using the time as it is. How often does 
that happen? Basically when two or more people from different timezones 
meet up. And those are the cases when the user should manually go and 
change the time using the time tool in f-spot.

Further, when that person sends me a photo and I import it, the time 
gets readjusted and then it really means nothing.

--Pat