[time-nuts] GMT vs. UTC

[John Ackermann N8UR]

Magnus Danielson wrote:
> Dear arch-time-nuts,
> 
> Today I came up with a question onto which I have no simple and quick answer in
> the back of my head, so what is better than turning to my time-nut friends?
> 
> The question relates to weither GMT and UTC is the same time-scale or not.
> If they are not, what is the difference? Where would I find any authority
> information showing that they are the same or are not the same.
> 
> Now, if you would write law, which one would you use, GMT or UTC?
> Personally, I would go for UTC (since I understand its connection to TAI).
> GMT? I am not sure.
> 
> I really need to understand this issue.

Magnus, I read about this recently -- it might even have been on 
Wikipedia -- and of course, getting old I don't recall all the details. 
  But the short story is that, at least today, GMT has no legal or 
official meaning.  When the term is used, it's simply a synonym for UTC.

John