Comment by xkcdz | Hacker News Reader

Comment by xkcdz | Hacker News Reader

I’ve been mulling over how tricky it can be to coordinate across time zones—scheduling meetings, syncing software, or even just chatting with friends globally. It got me thinking about a possible idea: the Global Pulse Time System (GPTS). Basically, it’s a universal time system that splits each day into 100,000 "pulses," starting at midnight UTC. Each pulse is about 0.864 seconds, and it resets daily (so you’d see times like P000000 to P099999).

You might be wondering why it’s called "pulses." The name "pulse" evokes a sense of rhythm, much like a heartbeat—a fundamental, repeating beat we all know. In GPTS, each pulse lasts about 0.864 seconds, which is remarkably close to the average human heartbeat at rest (around 0.83 seconds). This heartbeat analogy makes the system feel intuitive, almost like time is ticking along with our own natural rhythm.

Beyond that, GPTS might actually feel more natural for tracking time progression. Unlike our traditional system of 24 hours, 60 minutes, and 60 seconds, it uses a straightforward decimal setup: 100,000 pulses per day. That means P050000 is exactly half a day, and P025000 is a quarter—simple fractions that are easy to grasp without mental gymnastics. Plus, with a daily reset at midnight UTC, there’s a universal starting line that keeps time consistent worldwide.

The thought is to ditch time zone math altogether. If I say, “Let’s meet at P050000,” that’s the exact same moment for everyone, no matter where you are. It could make scheduling a breeze, cut down on coding headaches with time zones, or even give systems like blockchain a consistent global clock.

That said, I’m not blind to the downsides. People love their local sunrise and sunset cues, and getting everyone to switch would be a nightmare. I’m just curious if something like this could ever make sense in our digital age, or if there’s a better way to tackle global time chaos. What do you all think? Rip it apart or build on it—I’d love to hear your takes!

All about time is about the use of time. So what is your use-case?

Time is either some "point in time" (like a date) or "duration". Your use-case is not the first one because a "point in time" is bound to a location (it 10am in Paris,FR ... not 10am). As a duration, it's only really usable as a duration inside the same 24h period... and for this everybody already has the second. The replacement of a base 86400 by a base 100000 does not really seem to me as a game-changer (not for computer and not really for humans either) so I don't think that anybody will take the time to use it somewhere.

I think that if you want to work on "time", you could help with 2 "hard" problems :

* calendars : the main PITA is more that months dont have the same length in days (not even for the same month in case of february) and neither the same number of "workable" days. Some calendars try to help by using 13 * 28 days month (each month=7 days weeks... so same count of workable days). That kind of calendar is used in finance I think but not really sure

* outside earth (meaning lunar, martian... really Universal) time duration & calendar : for now, our calendar and time mesurement is based on earth rotation on itself (night/day succession) and around the sun (seasons succession). These notions dont have a lot of sense on earth or on mars... or outside our solar system... So: should we use some kind of percentage of total revolution or that kind of thing ?

I think that tackling that kind of problem could be more a game changer that building a system to replace 1 second by a pulse with a duration of 0.864 second. YMMV

My thinking with GPTS wasn't so much about replacing the second for local durations within a 24-hour period – we're pretty well-served there. Instead, the core motivation is to tackle the headache of coordinating across those 24-hour periods and across geographical locations. This system isn't intended to change how individuals experience their local day or their existing timekeeping for daily activities. It's about providing a universal layer for seamless global synchronization across various critical domains.

Consider, for example, scenarios requiring global synchronization, such as satellite communications, distributed databases needing consistent transaction ordering, and the vast network of IoT devices where precise, location-agnostic timestamps are crucial. In financial transactions, especially high-frequency trading and global financial systems, GPTS could ensure all events are logged and processed in a single time format, eliminating discrepancies caused by time zones or even fractional-second differences.

For scientific applications, GPTS offers an ideal framework for experiments, astronomy, and global data collection where precise, universally synchronized timestamps are paramount, whether it's logging astronomical observations from different locations or coordinating particle physics experiments with ultra-fine timing requirements. Even in gaming and virtual environments, GPTS could provide the backbone for synchronizing events and interactions between players across the globe in real-time.

The most obvious use case is in global scheduling systems, where GPTS can act as a neutral time standard for coordinating events, meetings, and tasks across different time zones, drastically simplifying the current complex process. Furthermore, in data logging and monitoring across servers, sensors, and applications worldwide, GPTS would provide consistent timestamps that are far easier to parse and analyze.

The benefits extend to cutting-edge fields like machine learning and AI, where GPTS can simplify the handling of time-series data by providing a consistent, normalized time format. Looking beyond our planet, GPTS's inherent universality makes it well-suited for space exploration, providing a consistent time reference for logging events on spacecraft and planetary rovers, independent of Earth-based time zones. And as you mentioned earlier about other planets, the core concept could be adapted – imagine a "Martian Pulse" based on the Martian sol.

Even in established industries like media and content production, GPTS could ensure consistent time stamps for editing and synchronizing video, audio, and animations across globally distributed teams. Finally, in the maritime and aviation industries, where time zones can be irrelevant in open waters or airspace but precise coordination is vital, GPTS could serve as a crucial synchronization tool for air and sea traffic management.

You mentioned that a "point in time" is bound to a location, and that's precisely the problem GPTS aims to solve. Instead of saying "10 am in Paris," which requires mental gymnastics for someone in New York to understand the overlap, GPTS offers a single, universal reference. When I say "P050000," it's not 10 am somewhere; it's a specific, unambiguous moment in the global day, regardless of where anyone is.

While you see the base conversion as not a game-changer, I think the shift to a decimal system offers a subtle but significant advantage for human understanding, especially when dealing with fractions of a day. Knowing that P050000 is exactly halfway through the day, or P025000 is a quarter, is instantly clear without needing to remember the 60/60/24 divisions. For computer systems, while the base conversion itself might not be revolutionary, the universal nature of the timestamp across these use cases could be quite impactful.

Ultimately, you're right – adoption would be a massive hurdle. People are deeply tied to their local time cues. But the question I'm exploring is whether the increasing need for seamless global interaction across these diverse and critical applications might eventually make a system like this, or something similar, more appealing as a standard for global scheduling and digital systems where time zone ambiguity causes constant issues.

I think Swatch Internet Time is more practical in day-to-day use. Swatch Internet Time divides the day into 1,000 units instead of 100,000 so is much more succinct. People rarely need <1 sec precision when communicating with each other, and when they do, they can just use decimals.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swatch_Internet_Time

I’d argue GPTS has some unique strengths that make it stand out and way better than Swatch, not just for everyday stuff but also for where timekeeping is headed. Here’s why:

Precision Without the Hassle: Sure, most people don’t need sub-second precision when chatting about meetups. But GPTS’s 100,000 pulses per day—each about 0.864 seconds—give you that granularity baked in. No need to mess with decimals like you would with Swatch’s 86.4-second beats. For example, in GPTS, you can say “P042K” (short for P042000) for a rough time, but if you’re syncing an AI process or timestamping a transaction, the full precision’s right there. Swatch feels like it’s asking for extra steps when accuracy matters.

A Human Rhythm: This is where GPTS gets interesting. Each pulse is roughly 0.864 seconds, pretty close to the average human heartbeat (around 0.83 seconds). It’s not just a random division—it’s a rhythm that vibes with us biologically. Swatch’s beats, at 86.4 seconds each, don’t have that kind of intuitive hook. GPTS feels less like a clock and more like a pulse we already know.

Global Sync Made Simple: GPTS resets every day at midnight UTC, giving everyone a universal reference point. That’s huge for coordinating across time zones or logging events globally—think distributed systems or even just planning a worldwide launch. Swatch Internet Time is universal too, but without that daily anchor, it’s trickier to tie it to real-world moments.

Swatch had its moment in the ‘90s, but it didn’t stick—maybe because it’s too detached from how we live and work now. GPTS, with its precision, human connection, and global reset, feels like it’s built for today’s challenges, from casual use to tech-heavy applications IMO.

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