NationStates Jolt Archive

Hey...I found something strange the last few weeks. NS has a very different character depending on the time of day!

When I get up, sometimes I go on (well, most days, okay...I'm an addict) before noon. Between 9 and 11AM to be exact.

During that time, there seem to be a lot of Americans on, leading me to believe that this time is around evening/afternoon in the States. And a quick look at the map confirmed that. In Europe meanwhile, it's midnight.
So what NS does is hardcore political debates, about all sorts of issues.

During the afternoon here, there usually happens little, with at times there being no more than three or four posters on NS Generals.
Then it is very early morning in Europe, and night in the US.

But when I get on at night, like today, at about 9PM, political topics seem to get much less interest. Instead, the most popular threads right now seem to be social ones, where people just have some fun.
And another look at the map confirms that now it's about noon in Europe, and that it is early morning in the US.

Constrained by my own 12-16 hour window, and extra-NS activities, that is the only time I can really look at...I wonder whether you guys can help me try to create a 24h profile of NS General.

What sort of topics are popular at which times? And are American NSers more political than European NSers? Or is it just that different topics are popular to people at different times of their respective days (socialising in the morning, politics in the evening)?

Please also post what time it is right now at your place, just for the heck of it.
And here is a map of the timezones on the world. Start at your place, than count backwards to the west - or forwards to the east.
http://www.theodora.com/maps/new5/802649.jpg

And it's 8:54PM in Brisbane on the Australian Eastcoast right now.

Being in NZDST, I'm in a timezone with only a few others. I'm different from all of them.

Being in NZDST, I'm in a timezone with only a few others. I'm different from all of them.
I love you! (I'm from the same timezone)

I am in England UK on DST Daylight Saving Time at moment

I am in England UK on DST Daylight Saving Time at moment


The UK has winter DST..?

The UK has winter DST..?
Yes it does clocks spring forward in Spring

I'm on PST. It's 3 a.m. here. I'm usually a night person thanks to some mild insomnia. I usually get on NS from mid-afternoon to early morning. There does seem to be a pattern in topics and "peak" hours.

Please also post what time it is right now at your place, just for the heck of it.
And here is a map of the timezones on the world. Start at your place, than count backwards to the west - or forwards to the east.
http://www.theodora.com/maps/new5/802649.jpg

And it's 8:54PM in Brisbane on the Australian Eastcoast right now.
Right now it is 6:08 EST where I am. You live two timezones east of my fiance's. Her timezone is normally 13 hours different than mine, making yours 15 hours different. When it is daylight savings time here, her timezone is exactly 12 hours ahead of mine.

In less than 3 hours, you will be into Friday Dec. 30, while I have most of Thursday ahead of me.

Yes it does clocks spring forward in Spring

Right, so surely the UK right now, being in the middle of winter, AREN'T on day light savings?

I am in England UK on DST Daylight Saving Time at moment

Right, so surely the UK right now, being in the middle of winter, AREN'T on day light savings?
yes the are it means it is lighter in mornings safer for traveling to school and work and daylight is tad longer

Germany, winter time (no Dst) = Gmt+1

I always get on at different times, so I can't do any generalizations there...

yes the are it means it is lighter in mornings safer for traveling to school and work and daylight is tad longer


So UK DST is putting their clocks back in winter, and their normal time zone is in summer?

Hey...I found something strange the last few weeks. NS has a very different character depending on the time of day!

When I get up, sometimes I go on (well, most days, okay...I'm an addict) before noon. Between 9 and 11AM to be exact.

During that time, there seem to be a lot of Americans on, leading me to believe that this time is around evening/afternoon in the States. And a quick look at the map confirmed that. In Europe meanwhile, it's midnight.
So what NS does is hardcore political debates, about all sorts of issues.

During the afternoon here, there usually happens little, with at times there being no more than three or four posters on NS Generals.
Then it is very early morning in Europe, and night in the US.

But when I get on at night, like today, at about 9PM, political topics seem to get much less interest. Instead, the most popular threads right now seem to be social ones, where people just have some fun.
And another look at the map confirms that now it's about noon in Europe, and that it is early morning in the US.

Constrained by my own 12-16 hour window, and extra-NS activities, that is the only time I can really look at...I wonder whether you guys can help me try to create a 24h profile of NS General.

What sort of topics are popular at which times? And are American NSers more political than European NSers? Or is it just that different topics are popular to people at different times of their respective days (socialising in the morning, politics in the evening)?

Please also post what time it is right now at your place, just for the heck of it.
And here is a map of the timezones on the world. Start at your place, than count backwards to the west - or forwards to the east.
http://www.theodora.com/maps/new5/802649.jpg

And it's 8:54PM in Brisbane on the Australian Eastcoast right now.
It is 3:19am right now. I notice that when I that when I am close to logging out for the night, political threads do start to get more popular. Also, when I sign in midday, I see that the Europeans are in the political threads. I have never been on NS in the morning, cuz well if I am not at school I am sleeping. I tend to see the political threads pretty popular during the midday, then (arround dinnertime) as the Europeans are starting to get tired and logging off, things get social, then it gets back to politics, around midnight nobody is on, then about know (3 am) things start to pick up with social forms as the Europeans start coming on again.

So UK DST is putting their clocks back in winter, and their normal time zone is in summer?

Yes is that so hard to grasp?

Yes is that so hard to grasp?

It took me a sec because I'm used to the reverse.

in summer UK on BST British Summer Time not to be confused with GMT

So UK DST is putting their clocks back in winter, and their normal time zone is in summer?
That's what Canada and the US do, too. Although some states/provinces/regions opt out.

Yes is that so hard to grasp?
So it is afternoon in the UK?

Edit: I thought that the UK was always 5 hours different from where I am.

That's what Canada and the US do, too. Although some states/provinces/regions opt out.

We put our clocks forward in spring and back in autumn as well, but it's the winter time that is refered to as 'New Zealand standard time' and the summer time that is refered to as 'Daylight savings time'.

So it is afternoon in the UK?

Edit: I thought that the UK was always 5 hours different from where I am.

No it is 11.27 a.m.

We put our clocks forward in spring and back in autumn as well, but it's the winter time that is refered to as 'New Zealand standard time' and the summer time that is refered to as 'Daylight savings time'.
Same as here. Right now we are on Eastern Standard Time (EST).

No it is 11.27 a.m.
Then you are not on daylight savings time.

You will be on daylight savings time in the spring when the clocks go ahead one hour.

I just get so confused sometimes...by the way, Queensland doesn't do daylight savings - but NSW and so on do.

Meaning that despite being in the same time zone, me going south a hundred or two hundred kms to Lismore would result in me having to change my watch. :confused:

Map (http://www.queensland-australia.com/Images/100123.gif)

Same as here. Right now we are on Eastern Standard Time (EST).


That's what I thought, but according to this thread, it's the opposite in the UK. It took me a second to click on it.

As it is now, I'm GMT+13. It's been friday for half an hour.

Same as here. Right now we are on Eastern Standard Time (EST).
So what is the time in New Zealand now?

We put our clocks forward in spring and back in autumn as well, but it's the winter time that is refered to as 'New Zealand standard time' and the summer time that is refered to as 'Daylight savings time'.
Same as here. Right now we are on Eastern Standard Time (EST).
Nobody seems to know here. My calander says "DST begins at 12:00am" in both the spring and the fall.

That's what I thought, but according to this thread, it's the opposite in the UK. It took me a second to click on it.

As it is now, I'm GMT+13. It's been friday for half an hour.

GMT-1 in UK

That's what I thought, but according to this thread, it's the opposite in the UK. It took me a second to click on it.

As it is now, I'm GMT+13. It's been friday for half an hour.
Actually, I believe the poster from the UK is confused. He/she is on standard time.

Yes it does clocks spring forward in Spring
No it doesn't. British Summer Time is our equivalent of DST. Our winter time - GMT - is "normal" time.

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/


According to that, the time in London and GMT are the same at the moment.

No it doesn't. British Summer Time is our equivalent of DST. Our winter time - GMT - is "normal" time.
Yes it does the clocks go back an hour in winter and forward an hour in spring okay

GMT-1 in UK
If you were on GMT -1, your time would now be 10:33, making it only a 4 hour time difference than me.

However, I was just talking to my aunt last week, who lives south of London and her time difference is 5 hours from mine.

If you were on GMT -1, your time would now be 10:33, making it only a 4 hour time difference than me.

However, I was just talking to my aunt last week, who lives south of London and her time difference is 5 hours from mine.
maybe i am confused but it is 11.37 am now

Yes it does the clocks go back an hour in winter and forward an hour in spring okay
Yes, that means your clock goes back to standard time in the winter and ahead in the spring. When it goes ahead in the spring, then you will be on daylight savings time.

Yes, that means your clock goes back to standard time in the winter and ahead in the spring. When it goes ahead in the spring, then you will be on daylight savings time.
eerm not sure on that :(

maybe i am confused but it is 11.37 am now
Yes and it is 6:37 a.m. here and if you look at the timezone chart that was posted in the first thread, then that would be correct.

Where I live is always GMT - 5.

Yes and it is 6:37 a.m. here and if you look at the timezone chart that was posted in the first thread, then that would be correct.

Where I live is always GMT - 5.
oh thanks

oh thanks
Hey, no problem. :)

Cheers :)

Yes, that means your clock goes back to standard time in the winter and ahead in the spring. When it goes ahead in the spring, then you will be on daylight savings time.
That's just the way it is over here. We have now the standard time w/o dst, which is Gmt+1, and in spring the time is set 1 hour ahead with dst, making it effectively Gmt+2.

If you were on GMT -1, your time would now be 10:33, making it only a 4 hour time difference than me.

However, I was just talking to my aunt last week, who lives south of London and her time difference is 5 hours from mine.

UK time and EST are always 5hours appart bar 2 weeks of the year (IIRC you change to winter/summer time about a week later than we do, so for 1 week you are 4hrs ahead and on the other you are 6)

UK time and EST are always 5hours appart bar 2 weeks of the year (IIRC you change to winter/summer time about a week later than we do, so for 1 week you are 4hrs ahead and on the other you are 6)
yes you said that already

i've noticed the same thing, definatley.
i think its just the particular mix of european (especially british) NSers on here. there are more americans, and when there's serious debate about, starting social threads seems a bit taboo - quite probably putting off the less-serious americans from having the sort of insane fun we europeans do during the day.
thats not to say thats always the case, but a sort of general trend.


my pattern (GMT +/- 0):
i come on in the morning (up to, say, 11am) and its pretty quiet round here. not too many posters and generally the dregs of the previous night's political disputes
afternoon to evening (say, 11am to 5pm) is where NSG gets real social... sod political debates, just have fun and socialise with the nutters who are on (i love you guys :D)
5pm to, say, 7pm: political debates starting to creep back in, but light-heartedly. falling off of sillyness (but sometimes an intensification of silly)
7/8pm to midnight: often seriousness, political debate, flaming, a real change from the 5-7 time in that religion suddenly becomes an issue (crazy americans... just ignore it and i'll go away). can still sneak sillyness in here and there with the other nutter europeans and the more jovial americans (i'm not leaving the australians out: you guys are insane 24/7 so don't worry about it ;))
post midnight: tribes of longton comes on and sillyness is abound once more ;) :p

This thread seems to consist entirely of an argument about the timezone of Britain, so let's try to clear this up:

Britain is in the GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) timezone (also called UTC). During summer the clocks are put an hour forward, in what we call British Summer Time (or Daylight Savings Time, to the rest of the world). There's a campaign to move to the same timezone as the rest of Europe, by not putting the clocks back one Autumn.

Personally, I oppose Daylight Savings Time. The clocks should correspond to astronomical time (at least on average across a timezone), and all the arguments about safety are non-sensical - if you want a extra hour of light in the evening or morning, don't mess around with the clocks, just shift your day an hour earlier or later. If the government made schools open an hour earlier during summer (rather than moving the clocks an hour forward), the rest of the country would almost certainly follow (so jobs would change from 9-to-5 to 8-to-4 during summer) and we'd have all the supposed safety advantages without messing up the clocks.

UK time and EST are always 5hours appart bar 2 weeks of the year (IIRC you change to winter/summer time about a week later than we do, so for 1 week you are 4hrs ahead and on the other you are 6)
Makes sense to me. I do believe that starting in 2007 we will be starting DST earlier and ending it later, similar to what you have stated.

Here is a good article on it:

http://webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/b.html

Personally, I oppose Daylight Savings Time. The clocks should correspond to astronomical time (at least on average across a timezone), and all the arguments about safety are non-sensical - if you want a extra hour of light in the evening or morning, don't mess around with the clocks, just shift your day an hour earlier or later. If the government made schools open an hour earlier during summer (rather than moving the clocks an hour forward), the rest of the country would almost certainly follow (so jobs would change from 9-to-5 to 8-to-4 during summer) and we'd have all the supposed safety advantages without messing up the clocks.
I fully agree on that! This dst bs should really be abandoned, there are better ways to reach the same result.

I fully agree on that! This dst bs should really be abandoned, there are better ways to reach the same result.
Agreed

This thread seems to consist entirely of an argument about the timezone of Britain, so let's try to clear this up:

Britain is in the GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) timezone (also called UTC). During summer the clocks are put an hour forward, in what we call British Summer Time (or Daylight Savings Time, to the rest of the world). There's a campaign to move to the same timezone as the rest of Europe, by not putting the clocks back one Autumn.

Personally, I oppose Daylight Savings Time. The clocks should correspond to astronomical time (at least on average across a timezone), and all the arguments about safety are non-sensical - if you want a extra hour of light in the evening or morning, don't mess around with the clocks, just shift your day an hour earlier or later. If the government made schools open an hour earlier during summer (rather than moving the clocks an hour forward), the rest of the country would almost certainly follow (so jobs would change from 9-to-5 to 8-to-4 during summer) and we'd have all the supposed safety advantages without messing up the clocks.
That is too logical of a thing to do. :)

Humans thrive on chaos.

Statistical analysis gives me a headache so Im not even going to think about it.
But you may want to take into account holidays. Normally I'd be on from 5:00pm til 9:00 on a school night, but with the holidays I'm on practically all day. Things like that may throw off your measurments a bit.

It's 16.25 CET where I am now.

I have actually found the opposite to the original poster. I've always found (marginally) more political discussions going on during European peaktimes and the more social threads getting more traffic during the North American peaktimes.

In my opinion, it also becomes noticably more 'right-wing' during Americas timezone peak times.

HST. (Hawaii Standard Time) it's now 6:09 a.m
and I do notice it lagg off around 1:00 pm.

oh, and this American preferres the social threads over the policitical ones. after all, my life is complicated enough without trying to run/critizise anyone else's country.

Afternoon 16.16 hours here in the UK

I find that the forum is at its most lively right about now. 3:30am for me :p

I find that the forum is at its most lively right about now. 3:30am for me :p
*tumbleweed rolls past*


edit: its 5pm here

Evening 18.13 hours here in the UK

I love you! (I'm from the same timezone)
Do you love me?

11:33

I find that the forum is at its most lively right about now. 3:30am for me :p

That's 11:30 AM over here (Central Standard Time in the States).

I've noticed that General's at its most active from 9:15 AM to about 12:45 PM. Sadly, I rarely wake up early enough (or stay up long enough) to post during this period these days. :p

I find that the forum is at its most lively right about now. 3:30am for me :p
That would be 5:30AM for me.:(
I think 2:30AM is the best time.

Morning 11.23 hours here in the UK

This thread has gone totally off point. The original was like what is discussed by people of what personality at a certain time of day. It's turned into a debate about Daylight Savings Time.

Anyway I don't think it really has much to do with the time of day. Sure if you're tired after work/school, you tend to not feel like a weighty political debate. And it also depends on what the thread is about. If it is, for example about a television show that is only generally shown in America, then the majority of posters will be American. But it really comes down to the person. Some people like political debates, others yawn at the sight of them. More people seem to like social groups online, and there's nothing wrong with that. People go where they like, but if it's a thread that tends to apply to them personally, for example, being Irish, if there's a number of Irish people on a thread (and that happens very rarely) then I'd tend to give that a look.

But the question of who goes on when? Well I usually find UK people on quite late actually, up to about 1am London time (it's 12:37 there now), while Americans are never on in the morning (well I guess that's when theyre sleeping..). I hope this post was in someway helpful!

This thread has gone totally off point.


Welcome to NS general.

Afternoon 13.22 in the UK now

Welcome to NS general.
You think this place has bad thread drift? You should see the England offsite forums:

I find the fact that a thread entitled "Coder or Killer" where upon you guess whether someone is a programmer or a killer has become polarised on Safalra's social- and night-life somewhat amusing.

Afternoon 15.16 in the UK now

When I had the internet at home, I was usually on late night and in the very early morning. Now I use the public library computer. The library closes at 5pm CST and that's way before I used to get on. I really miss some of the people I used to talk to.

When I had the internet at home, I was usually on late night and in the very early morning. Now I use the public library computer. The library closes at 5pm CST and that's way before I used to get on. I really miss some of the people I used to talk to.

BFE,OK where is that?

Hee, the title of this thread made me think of "Eastern Standard Tribe" by Cory Doctorow.