We recently changed the way timezones work on the system.

Previously, the site worked as follows: every event and each respondent was matched to a set number of hours (or hours and minutes) away from GMT in London. Everything was calculated out from there. We chose this method originally because we could automatically detect the local time (using javascript) and when this did need adjusting, respondents could simply look at their wrist watch and select the time from the dropdown.

Following the changes, the site now works like this: each event and respondent needs to be allocated to a distinct geographic area. The offsets from GMT are then calculated from there. This has two disadvantages - it is not possible to auto-detect the location, so the respondents will just begin by seeing the times as per the event organiser. Secondly they have to interact with a long list of locations to get their times corrected.

In short: respondents now need to select their location from the dropdown. The times on the page will update automatically.

We're really sorry to have had to make this change. The one simple reason is that the first method simply doesn't support daylight savings changes. We were at risk of sending people to meetings either an hour early or an hour late twice a year.

To add to the complication slightly, we've had to include the non-geographic zones ("GMT-5", etc.) in order to accommodate data already in the system. We're hoping in the future this will become less relevant as when events are created, if the organizer chooses a location in their country, their respondents will see the related zones near by in the dropdown list.

We're going to look at ways to make the process a little simpler. For example, we could wait until they have confirmed or changed their location before showing any times.

View earlier "what's new" pages...