Old timers- anyone remember the odd Calendar format Santa Clara SO used?

[norcalbusa]

It wasn't a January- Dec thing, it was quite odd. I don't think they use it any longer, but it was used for decades. Anyone remember what the format was called (and why they used it)? Thanks.

 

[a417]

did they use the infamous DuPont?

 

[norcalbusa]

Thanks, but I don't think that was it. It wasn't a scheduling thing- it was used in place of a calendar date, for some reason "Julian" comes to mind.

 

[mmckenna]

Thanks, but I don't think that was it. It wasn't a scheduling thing- it was used in place of a calendar date, for some reason "Julian" comes to mind.

Santa Clara and San Jose (and probably others) used the Julian Calendar. January 1st was day 1, and they just kept counting up to day 365. No Month/Day/Year, just day number 1 - 365

 

[mmckenna]

Julian calendar - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[norcalbusa]

Yep- that sounds like the one- thanks. Any idea why? Wonder if DOS couldn't handle conventional date formats. Seemed odd as heck asking everyone to learn a new format.

 

[a417]

Yep- that sounds like the one- thanks. Any idea why? Wonder if DOS couldn't handle conventional date formats. Seemed odd as heck asking everyone to learn a new format.

DOS absolutely can handle either format.

New format? no...more like they decided to join the rest of the modern world.

 

[norcalbusa]

In the late 70's? I know nothing about DOS, but something drove them to Julian- as far and away most agencies used conventional dates (back in the non-modern world).

 

[mmckenna]

Probably easier than messing up dates over the radio, easier to do on an ancient terminal, probably who knows. But it was used by SJPD when I was growing up in that area.

 

[radio10-8]

It was how the CAD system issued case numbers.
Year-Julian date-Event number or case number.
96-254-1254