Subject: Scientific Date Format

From: [email-masked] (NZ Science Monthly)
Date: Wed, 23 Jun 93 00:29:21 GMT

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] writes:

 >      In my posting on this subject ([email-masked], 93 Jun 4) I
 > wrote: "M-D-Y, as July 4, 1993 ... is the English literary form and the
 > current standard for general use in that language.".
 >      Several respondents replied that the British form for general usage is
 > day month year, as 4 July 1993, and that this is also the format of choice
 > in Canada.
 >      A perusal of John Donne's letters found dates 2nd February 1601, 13
 > June, 1607, July 17, 1613, and 25th November 1625, the first and last form

You seem to be overlooking the fact that your original posting was 
about the interpretation of an abbreviated date such as 01/02/03, and 
the replies to you must be viewed in that context. In such cases, 
British (and Commonwealth) usage is quite unambiguous as to order - it 
stands for 1st February ??03.

The order M-D-Y is only found where the month is indicated 
alphabetically (in full or abbreviated). In this context D-M-Y and 
M-D-Y are both common, but again there is no danger of ambiguity.

Problems do arise when the nationality of the writer is unknown, of 
course...

Phil Anderson

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