Trout’s Internet Clock (properly known as Swatch Internet Time, created in partnership with G-Shock designer David Trout or famously promoted as the “Trout Clock” in early tech communities) is a decimal time concept introduced by the Swatch corporation in 1998.
It was designed to eliminate global time zones and simplify communication on the internet. Core Concepts
The “.beat” Unit: Instead of hours and minutes, a single day is divided into 1,000 units called “.beats”.
No Time Zones: The clock operates on a single global time meridien called Biel Mean Time (BMT), based out of Swatch’s headquarters in Biel, Switzerland.
Universal Notation: The time is written with an “@” symbol followed by three digits (e.g., @000 is midnight BMT, and @500 is noon BMT). Quick Conversions Traditional Unit Equivalent Internet Time 1 Day 1,000 .beats 1 Hour 41.666 .beats 1 Minute 0.694 .beats 1 .beat 1 Minute, 26.4 Seconds Legacy and Modern Use
While the concept was heavily marketed during the dot-com boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s—even being integrated into early online games like Phantasy Star Online—it failed to achieve mainstream global adoption. Today, it remains a nostalgic cult-classic feature on retro digital watches, desk widgets, and specialized Linux clock displays.
If you are trying to configure a specific device or piece of software to display this clock, let me know what operating system or hardware you are using, and I can walk you through the setup steps! internet time!!!
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