Determining Time Zone without External Web Services

Determining the time zone of a specific location can be a crucial task in various applications. However, relying on web services like Geonames.org may introduce stability concerns. In response, the question arises: is it possible to determine the time zone without utilizing these external services?

A Solution Using a Database Conversion and R-Tree Implementation

One approach, suggested by an experienced programmer, involves the following steps:

1. Acquire the Geonames.org database: This comprehensive database contains city data, including time zone information.
2. Convert to a lat/lon to timezone list: For efficient lookup, convert the database into a compact list mapping latitude and longitude coordinates to their corresponding time zones.
3. Create an R-Tree implementation: Implement a spatial indexing structure, such as an R-Tree, to quickly identify the nearest city (and its timezone) to a given coordinate.

Benefits of this Approach:

• Improved performance: Populating the R-Tree typically takes less than a second, enabling thousands of lookups per second on a modest computer.
• Reduced dependency: Eliminates the need for external web services, enhancing reliability and control.
• Customization: The compact lat/lon to timezone list allows for customization and optimization specific to your needs.