Re: [libreoffice-users] Re: LibO 3.6.0.2 - Calc: date notation

On Mon, Jul 23, 2012 at 4:31 PM, Dan <elderdanlewis@gmail.com> wrote:

> Dan wrote:
>
> >       Let me see: open Calc in LO 3.6.0.2 and format a column selecting
> > the Category as Date and the Language as English(UK). It does not seem
> > to matter what is selected as the Format. (I selected 31/12/99.) Enter
> > 20-7 in a cell. It becomes 20/7/12. When 20/7 is entered in a cell of
> > the column, 20/7/12 is the result.
> >       It is a matter of formatting the column, cell, or row for the type
> > of data to be placed in the sheet. With the correct format
> > [English(USA)], I can enter 20-7 in a cell, and it will become Saturday,
> > July 20,2012 or Saturday, 20 July 2012 depending upon what format I use.
> > (The last one would require selecting User-defined Category and the
> > appropriate entries in the Format code box.)
> >       Ah yes, the "weird" USA way. While I had the Format dialog open
> > with UK as the Language, I noticed something in the list of Format
> > examples: MM-DD! If it should be DD/MM/YY, then why should it also be
> > MM/DD? OK so the USA way is weird, but then so is the British. Check it
> > out.  Chuckle, Chuckle! (From where this is located in the Format
> > example list, I think I know why it is this way. (ISO 8601) But I could
> > not resist replying to Tom's comment.
> >
> > --Dan
>
>      Sorry folks, but this is too good to be kept a "secret." Source:
> Wikipedia, article: Calendar Date. Here is a quote from it:
>
>      "This sequence is used primarily in the United States, partially in
> Canada, and a few other countries[citation needed]. This date format was
> commonly used alongside the small endian form in the United Kingdom until
> the early 20th Century, and can be found in both defunct and modern print
> media such as the London Gazette and The Times, respectively. In the UK, it
> would be verbally expressed as Sunday, November the 9th, whereas in the
> United States, it is usually Sunday, November 9th, although usage of "the"
> isn't uncommon."
>
>      So now we know where the USA got its weird format for dates: from the
> UK! Particularly from London England.
>      Oh happy day! Big Smile!
>
>
> --Dan

FWIW - I prefer ddmmmyyyy or yyyymmmdd; 09Jul2012 or 2012Jul09;
unambiguous; with minimum characters!  --nvsoar

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