> three zeros.  Thus, the 80's would be a decade beginning on
> January 1st,
> xx80, and ending on December 31st, xx89; a century would
> begin on January
> 1st, xx00, and ending on December 31st, xx99; and a millennia
> starting on
> January 1st, x000, and ending on December 31st, x999.
>
> Gee, what a simple concept!

Yeah; too bad it's wrong. Saying that the "80's" started in 1980 is clear
enough that even Homer Simpson would catch on. Saying that the "eight
decade" started then is wrong. Until someone changes the definition of
"decade", "century", etc. (or, alternatively, changes the definition of
"first", "second"...) we're kind of stuck.

Any arbitrary collection of 100 consecutive years you like is a century;
only the one that starts with 1 (the first year) and runs for 100
consecutive years (thus ending with--i.e. including as the last member of
the set--100) can be called the "first" century. "The first dozen" ends with
(and includes) 12, "the first century" ends with (and includes) 100, and
"the first millennium" ends with (and includes) 1000. Etc.


Steve Dirickson   WestWin Consulting
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