Why is 'Mon Jan 2 15:04:05 MST 2006' the Go Time Reference?

The Mystery of "Mon Jan 2 15:04:05 MST 2006" in Go

In the Go language documentation, the date "Mon Jan 2 15:04:05 MST 2006" is referenced as the "reference time" used in time formatting and parsing. However, the origin of this particular date remains unclear.

Unveiling the Source

Upon further examination of the documentation, the immediate context following the citation of this date sheds light on its origins:

Since MST is GMT-0700, the reference time can be thought of as
01/02 03:04:05PM '06 -0700

Deciphering the Sequence

This alternative representation reveals a simple increasing sequence:

• 01 (month)
• 02 (day)
• 03:04 (hours:minutes)
• PM (indicating afternoon)
• 06 (year)
• 07 (offset from GMT)

This sequence is designed to clearly differentiate between the 12-hour and 24-hour time representations. Using "PM" instead of "AM" allows for a clear distinction between "15:04" and "03:04 PM."

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