UK date format, is it possible?

Mnementh · 08-04-2009, 11:38 AM

Hi,

I'm not sure if this has been asked before, I have searched but couldn't find anything, but I was wondering if there was a setting to have forum posts show the date in UK format i.e. DD/MM/YYYY rather than MM/DD/YYYY?

I've looked through all the control panel options and can't see one (I may be missing something obvious).

The main reason for wanting this is it's very confusing when looking at a date that is written in a format you are not used to especially when the day happens to be less than or equal to 12. I know to some people this may only be a minor thing but it's very disconcerting when looking at a date stamp to see when something was posted and having to stop and think about whether it was written in US or UK format, especially as 99% of the other forums I'm on have the option to use the UK format so I have to try and remember whether or not this is also one (I hope that made sense).

If this option is not available is it something which could be added as I'm sure I'm not the only person with this issue?

TIA

Mnementh

JSWolf · 08-04-2009, 01:09 PM

My wife is from the UK and when she sees a date written in UK date format, it looks odd to her. She's gotten used to the American date format.

zelda_pinwheel · 08-04-2009, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mnementh

Hi,

I'm not sure if this has been asked before, I have searched but couldn't find anything, but I was wondering if there was a setting to have forum posts show the date in UK format i.e. DD/MM/YYYY rather than MM/DD/YYYY?

I've looked through all the control panel options and can't see one (I may be missing something obvious).

The main reason for wanting this is it's very confusing when looking at a date that is written in a format you are not used to especially when the day happens to be less than or equal to 12. I know to some people this may only be a minor thing but it's very disconcerting when looking at a date stamp to see when something was posted and having to stop and think about whether it was written in US or UK format, especially as 99% of the other forums I'm on have the option to use the UK format so I have to try and remember whether or not this is also one (I hope that made sense).

If this option is not available is it something which could be added as I'm sure I'm not the only person with this issue?

TIA

Mnementh

amen !! if it's not too much trouble, i'd love this. the entire french forum would love it too.

those MM/DD dates drive me crazy, i always have to stop and think about them, it's really confusing.

i've mentioned it to alex previously but i don't think i got a response, i'll bring it up again.

Mnementh · 08-04-2009, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

My wife is from the UK and when she sees a date written in UK date format, it looks odd to her. She's gotten used to the American date format.

Let me guess she now lives in the US? If that's the case then it would make sense that she would be used to the American format as that's what she would see 99.9% of the time. I live in the UK so guess what I see the UK format 99.9% of the time. All in all not a very helpful comment as I seem to have noticed many times from you before JSWolf. Please refrain from commenting unless you have something constructive to say.

@ zelda_pinwheel: If you could please mention this to Alex (whom I assume is the forum administrator) I would be extremely greatful, I know it's only a little thing but as you said it is very confusing. Your efforts would be much appreciated.

Mnementh

Mike L · 08-04-2009, 02:55 PM

Excuse me, but it's not a question of UK vs US. The DD/MM/YY format (or minor variations thereof) is used throughout Europe and much of Africa, Asia and elsewhere. It's not UK-specific.

Most software these days will respect whatever choices the user makes in Regional Settings in Windows Control Panel, or its equivalent in other operating system. That's all that's needed here.

I have to agree with Mnementh that it can be very confusing to see the day and month apparently the wrong way round.

Mnementh · 08-04-2009, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike L

Excuse me, but it's not a question of UK vs US. The DD/MM/YY format (or minor variations thereof) is used throughout Europe and much of Africa, Asia and elsewhere. It's not UK-specific.

I have to agree with Mnementh that it can be very confusing to see the day and month apparently the wrong way round.

I didn't want to assume that DD/MM/YYYY was used in Europe or anywhere else as I've never lived there so I called it UK format hoping most people would know what I meant. I try to only make statements about things I know about (don't always succeed but hey nobody's perfect

).

I wasn't trying to make this into an us V them situation I would just like the option to be able to choose the date format so it's less confusing wherever you are in the world

JSWolf · 08-04-2009, 05:26 PM

Personally, I would love to see all date formats change to the computer way of doing it...

YYYY/MM/DD is the computer way of doing it and that would also make a good universal date format.

Kirtai · 08-04-2009, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Personally, I would love to see all date formats change to the computer way of doing it...

YYYY/MM/DD is the computer way of doing it and that would also make a good universal date format.

It's also an ISO standard

pdurrant · 08-05-2009, 05:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirtai

It's also an ISO standard

The ISO standard (ISO 8601:2004) for dates is actually

YYYY-MM-DD

(with optional extension to the year field for dates after 9999 and before 0)

Ea · 08-05-2009, 06:20 AM

I would like teh dd/mm/yy format, too. I've even gotten quite used to quiant measurements such as inches, feet, pounds, quarts, and ounces, but I still need to stop and think everytime I see a date.

Does anyone know any rules of thumb for fahrenheit to celcius ? I haven't quite cracked that.

pdurrant · 08-05-2009, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ea

Does anyone know any rules of thumb for fahrenheit to celcius ? I haven't quite cracked that.

Subtract 30 and divide by 2.

(It's exact for 50°F:10°C, a slight underestimate for higher temperatures and a slight overestimate for colder temperatures.)

zelda_pinwheel · 08-05-2009, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Subtract 30 and divide by 2.

(It's exact for 50°F:10°C, a slight underestimate for higher temperatures and a slight overestimate for colder temperatures.)

thanks for the tip ! that is really useful. i hope i can remember it...

Kostas · 08-05-2009, 06:48 AM

Btw, I guess I'm too idiot, but I'll never be able to understand the rationale behind the MM/DD/YY format.
I think that even the YY/MM/DD precedence would be more logical.
Intuitively, we use subdivisions from lower to higher or vice-versa, not mixing them up...

m, cm, km ???

zelda_pinwheel · 08-05-2009, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kostas

Btw, I guess I'm too idiot, but I'll never be able to understand the rationale behind the MM/DD/YY format.
I think that even the YY/MM/DD precedence would be more logical.
Intuitively, we use subdivisions from lower to higher or vice-versa, not mixing them up...

m, cm, km ???

completely agree ! i use YYYY/MM/DD on all my files at home, it's the most logical to me (and you can easily sort automatically by date on a computer that way

). DD/MM/YYYY is logical too. but MM/DD/YYYY just seems weird !

Ea · 08-05-2009, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Subtract 30 and divide by 2.

(It's exact for 50°F:10°C, a slight underestimate for higher temperatures and a slight overestimate for colder temperatures.)

Thanks! Now I only have to remember it, but I think I will - I run into temperatures mentioned in F often enough.

08-04-2009, 11:38 AM	#1
Mnementh Groupie Posts: 183 Karma: 3633418 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: UK Device: Kobo Libra	UK date format, is it possible? Hi, I'm not sure if this has been asked before, I have searched but couldn't find anything, but I was wondering if there was a setting to have forum posts show the date in UK format i.e. DD/MM/YYYY rather than MM/DD/YYYY? I've looked through all the control panel options and can't see one (I may be missing something obvious). The main reason for wanting this is it's very confusing when looking at a date that is written in a format you are not used to especially when the day happens to be less than or equal to 12. I know to some people this may only be a minor thing but it's very disconcerting when looking at a date stamp to see when something was posted and having to stop and think about whether it was written in US or UK format, especially as 99% of the other forums I'm on have the option to use the UK format so I have to try and remember whether or not this is also one (I hope that made sense). If this option is not available is it something which could be added as I'm sure I'm not the only person with this issue? TIA Mnementh

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08-04-2009, 01:09 PM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,897 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	My wife is from the UK and when she sees a date written in UK date format, it looks odd to her. She's gotten used to the American date format.

08-04-2009, 02:55 PM	#5
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,479 Karma: 3846231 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3, Samsung Galaxy	Excuse me, but it's not a question of UK vs US. The DD/MM/YY format (or minor variations thereof) is used throughout Europe and much of Africa, Asia and elsewhere. It's not UK-specific. Most software these days will respect whatever choices the user makes in Regional Settings in Windows Control Panel, or its equivalent in other operating system. That's all that's needed here. I have to agree with Mnementh that it can be very confusing to see the day and month apparently the wrong way round.

08-04-2009, 05:26 PM	#7
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,897 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Personally, I would love to see all date formats change to the computer way of doing it... YYYY/MM/DD is the computer way of doing it and that would also make a good universal date format.

08-05-2009, 06:20 AM	#10
Ea Wizard Posts: 3,490 Karma: 5239563 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3\|iPad air\|iPhone 4S	I would like teh dd/mm/yy format, too. I've even gotten quite used to quiant measurements such as inches, feet, pounds, quarts, and ounces, but I still need to stop and think everytime I see a date. Does anyone know any rules of thumb for fahrenheit to celcius ? I haven't quite cracked that.

08-05-2009, 06:48 AM	#13
Kostas Still wondering why Posts: 253 Karma: 800 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Athens, Greece Device: PRS 505, (BlackBerry Bold ?)	Btw, I guess I'm too idiot, but I'll never be able to understand the rationale behind the MM/DD/YY format. I think that even the YY/MM/DD precedence would be more logical. Intuitively, we use subdivisions from lower to higher or vice-versa, not mixing them up... m, cm, km ???