darcs patch: Figure out timezone offset from timezone name

[Ashley Yakeley]

Bjorn Bringert wrote:

> David and I have discussed this, and it seems like this hard-coded
> timezone database is in any case better than the current incorrect
> behavior. In the majority of cases it will do the right thing, instead
> of being almost always incorrect as it is now. I have pushed the patch
> now, but there are some improvements that could be made:

I think this is wrong. Time-zones change quite frequently, and now any 
program compiled with 'time' will be incorrect the next time some 
government changes its zone.

It's for a similar reason that no leap-second table is included in the 
package. I always prefer not to provide information than provide 
misinformation. That said, this file is Bjorn's part of the package.

Is there an alternative approach? Is there some way we can query the tz 
database? I looked into this earlier but didn't find an obvious way.

-- 
Ashley Yakeley