Python 2.5.1 broken os.stat module

[Joe Salmeri]

I have tried (unsuccessfully) to get you to view things from the end user 
perspective.

I wish that you would consider looking at what the end user sees because 
that is what really matters.

Without end users we would not need to develop software would we?

This entire conversation was VERY nicely summarized (by you) with the 
following statement:

    01/02/2007 7:00 PM EST == 01/02/2007 8:00 PM EDT

I agree with that statement 100%.

Python        displays the date as 01/02/2007 7:00 PM EST
Windows    displays the date as 01/02/2007 8:00 PM EDT.

Python and Windows are BOTH correct!

However, there is a problem.  Windows does *not* display the date like that.

Windows displays the date as 01/02/2007 08:00 PM.

Windows does *not* give *any* indication when it made the switch from EST to 
EDT!!!

All the end user sees is that the file said it was last changed at 07:00 PM 
one day and then the next
day after DST started it now says the file was last changed at 08:00 PM.

The user is left scratching their head.

I prefer not to leave my end users in that situation.

>From Python I could resolve this using strftime with %Z to show the timezone 
/ EST / EDT but
from Windows you cannot get it to show you the timezone / DST value.

The only place in Windows that I have found that indicates EST / EDT is in 
Control Panel
Date and Time Properties.

Since the dir command and Explorer do not display the timezone / DST 
information the end
experience is confusion when the EST / EDT switch occurs.

You understand what happend, I understand what happen, but the typical user 
does not.