On Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:15:21 -0700
j debert
Why do you need ntp?
All computer clocks drift. Some more than others.
Is the system clock severely sloppy about keeping correct time?
The system clock is only sometimes accurate when no other interrupts have the CPU. Otherwise, a timer interrupt updates the number of ticks, which updates the system time.
Is the CMOS clock a P.O.S.?
No. The CMOS clock is only used when the computer is powered off.
Is there something critical that requires zero delta time with some other system(s)?
Left to their own devices, without NTP any two computer clocks will drift apart.
[ .... ] A script to periodically test the network connection and run netdate or rdate when the network is up works just fine.
This is just a poor re-implementation of the NTPd client. And assumes available connectivity to a static host.
[ .... ] necessary to adjust clocks every couple months or so. So all ntp would do is tie up resources that could better be used for other things.
I don't know where you got this mis-information. NTP is extremely light weight. It does not tie up resources.
ntp was created because of the need to keep system clocks accurately synchronised on a network for some time-critical applications. Most people do not need it. Even the author discouraged it's use.
Again, this is pure nonsense. NTP is the correct method to keep computer clocks in sync with the world clock. If you want to have accurate time on your computer, you want to configure and run NTP.
There was once an easy to follow adjtime tutorial [ ... ] Anyone know where it went to?
Before I used openSuse, configuring NTP on server was as simple as editing /etc/ntp.conf and changing the server line to point to the hostname(s) of local ntp server(s). I just fired up yast and see that it just puts up a radio box without explaining what the different options mean. Obviously, mobile computing has definitely upset the ease of setting up network settings, NTP being only one part of a bigger configuration issue.
== jd
-- Rich Coe rcoe@wi.rr.com -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org