Re: Removing "CMOS clock set to UTC" question

On 2024-06-12 13:44, Aryeh Friedman wrote:
> On Wed, Jun 12, 2024 at 3:08 PM Chris <bsd-lists@bsdforge.com> wrote:
>> 
>> On 2024-06-12 10:07, Mark Delany wrote:
>> > On 12Jun24, Ed Maste apparently wrote:
>> >> Our installer asks (via tzsetup):
>> >>
>> >> > Is this machine's CMOS clock set to UTC?  If it is set to local time,
>> >> > or you don't know, please choose NO here!
...
>> >
>> > At the very least the message should indicate what happens if you get the
>> > answer
>> > wrong. Does the system fail to install, does the clock run backwards, will
>> > my dog stop
>> > barking? What?
>> 
>> "If you are unsure, or don't know the answer here. Select NO"
>> Seems intuitive enough.
>> IOW no harm done here, if you choose NO (selects localtime). :)
>> Personally, I don't have a strong BIAS here, except that it's always been
>> this
>> way, and I don't have to remember to set it post installation. So it seems
>> "convenient".
> 
> In a dual (or more) boot config it is *NOT* more convenient because
> some OS's like Window$ just assume that it is set to local time and if
> you set it to UTC on FreeBSD you will need to always sync on reboot
> (to different OS) or be 5 hrs off (EDT/NYC).... in the 3 years of
> having my machine being dual boot and even after reinstalling FreeBSD
> (my primary OS) on a brand new drive (old one died) I still have this
> issue... lucky FreeBSD has ntpdate at boot but Window$ doesn't....
> from what I have seen Linux also does this (or at least when I run the
> Linux partition under bhyve it does)
This option really only has the largest affect on new users. New users are
not likely running the installer to replace their current OS(s). But likely
already have Windows installed, and are looking to place it beside it. 
Choosing
NO (localtime) during the install has zero ill affect. NIX OS's know what to
do should they want/need UTC. Windows, however, doesn't. Given that likely
the greatest number of (confused) new users already have Windows installed.
Why not default to "localtime"?
This coming from a near 40+ (BSD) year user, writing this on a laptop running
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, Slackware, Windows, and Hackintosh (multiboot), powered by 
refind.

Like I said, I have no strong BIAS. This is just the way I see it, and why. 
:)

---Chris