When does a Millenium start? The FAQ has been quoted. (Was: Re: Intent to package: "birthday")
On Mon, Mar 15, 1999 at 12:46:27AM +0100, Javier Fdz-Sanguino Pen~a wrote:
> So, since we use a numbering based on the number 10. The first
> century goes from year 1 to year 100. The second century starts the
> year 101. For more information, read the Isaac Asimov's book "Origins".
>
> There are many people in this error, and I get quite frantik
> when I hear (or read in a newspaper) such fuzz about the 21st century,
> one year before it will happen!
Perhaps I should now quote the Calendar FAQ at
<URL:http://www.pip.dknet.dk/~pip10160/calendar.html>.
8<--
2.10.3. When does the 21st century start?
-----------------------------------------
The first century started in AD 1. The second century must therefore
have started a hundred years later, in AD 101, and the 21st century must
start 2000 years after the first century, i.e. in the year 2001.
This is the cause of some heated debate, especially since some
dictionaries and encyclopaedias say that a century starts in years
that end in 00.
Let me propose a few compromises:
Any 100-year period is a century. Therefore the period from 23 June 1998
to 22 June 2098 is a century. So please feel free to celebrate the
start of a century any day you like!
Although the 20th century started in 1901, the 1900s started in
1900. Similarly, we can celebrate the start of the 2000s in 2000 and
the start of the 21st century in 2001.
Finally, let's take a lesson from history:
When 1899 became 1900 people celebrated the start of a new century.
When 1900 became 1901 people celebrated the start of a new century.
Two parties! Let's do the same thing again!
8<--
> > The Millenium in 9 months, 2 weeks and 5 days' time.
>
> wrong by a year (12 months :)
No, it should read:
The Millenium in 9 months, 2 weeks and 5 days' time,
and again in 21 months, 2 weeks and 5 days' time.
;-)
--
%%% Antti-Juhani Kaijanaho % gaia@iki.fi % http://www.iki.fi/gaia/ %%%
"Fight them without becoming them."
(J. Michael Straczynski: Babylon 5, 3rd Season)
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