The timestamps seem to be working officially! Here's some more info which I had to tangle with myself and will have to add to the administrators manual. I guess it was a bit of luck as far as when I got the timestamping to work that I got this figured out. The Mercury System will not automatically update timestamps but they'd take only seconds to update for those individual users that need it.

If the server is in a timezone that changes times and the user is as well...then the user will not have to change times because the offset will be the same. Although they would technically have to change the time for the hours difference. Such as if the server is in a timezone ahead of our particular user..and is three hours ahead, the user would have to subtract an additional hour because the server will change time before the user does. But if they keep it the same, the times will match up again the next morning.

If the user or server times change but the other doesn't then the user will definitely have to change their timestamp.

I am working on an option to help members remember that this will be the case. An administrator account that can flash messages out to every single member of their IM service. But overall..if you ever notice that your timestamp is an hour off of your real time, you will have to adjust the offset.

Perhaps in the future this will change and it will be made automatic but that is well beyond the scope of the software so far. But you never know what's coming in the future!

The other slight change is that I decided to add a little more to the message alert that pops up when someone messages you and you have alerts turned on. Last time I added the users name and now I added the time to it as well. So that if you step away for a little while or are busy looking at something else on your computer you will get an alert and can see who messaged you and when. For the most part I'd expect most users will get the alerts right as they pop up because it's part of the reason that they exist. But this may be helpful to some and really couldn't hurt...

I am noticing an influx of newer visitors/readers to this account and I'd like to extend an invitation to those interested to help test out the system!! We could always use some more to help me test everything. Please send a message through this account or my personal one: etheracide. Please let me know if you are interested and I'll get you set up!

Time Isn't a Magazine, It's a Headache!
Wow, such a complicated matter, time is. Seems the old stand by Window platform for automatic updating time might come in handy, concept wise. Yes, I will be messaging you that I am interested in being a Mercury System lab (web) rat! Be nice if maybe, for those following your progress on the Mercury System, could get an e-mail when you post the latest updates! This is NuTang history in the making! Keep up the progress Spocketheracide!
» JMC on 2006-10-31 01:35:41

Good idea.
I didn't initially add it because I wasn't sure if anyone would subscribe haha But now the option is available!

As for auto updates...it will most likely never occur in the Windows fashion because far too much is involved with that. But it requires only 2..maybe 3..clicks to change your time offset and literally only 3 seconds once you've done it before. So it won't be a huge chore to change your offset twice per year =0) Not that I won't work on the option. However...I have to be very careful about what features are offered because some will overload the server's CPU which is always a fear because of how expansive the project is becoming. But it is something that I will atleast try for the second version or later!
» mercury-system on 2006-10-31 07:10:52

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