[Mulgara-dev] XSD dateTimes

[Seaborne, Andy]

-------- Original Message --------
> From: Edwin Shin <>
> Date: 23 November 2007 10:54
>
> Seaborne, Andy wrote:
> > As an aside, in case you are lacking some confusion, the XML stds take
> > two approaches to xsd:dateTime and xsd:date comparison. <snip>
> > But Xpath/Xquery via "functions and operators" make an assumption of
> > an implicit timezone used when no timezone is specified in the
> > lexical form.
> >
> > http://www.w3.org/TR/xpath-functions/#comp.duration.datetime
>
> Well, I am certainly never lacking for confusion. Making determinations
> of the timezone intended (but not specified) by a client seems fairly
> arbitrary. Is there a problem with simply making the implicit timezone
> UTC?

Don't think so - it's the "processors choice" and does not have to be the locale timezone. For strict mode SPARQL, I set it to Z; in default mode, I use XML schema comparison and have indeterminate comparison.

I can understand why F&O went for an implicit timezone - they are thinking about a repository of XML documents and query processor in the same timezone and so defaulting makes sense.  It's the web-ness that increases the cross-zone situations.

        Andy