Talk:Julian and Gregorian Calendars

When the Gregorian Calendar began, I know there were people who wanted to go back and reinterpret all the previous dates into the Gregorian Calendar system. You can see this even today in several websites about the Gregorian Calendar. But think what that would entail. Millions upon millions, if not billions or trillions of old dates would have to be changed. Added to this is the lack of standartization, since the Gregorian Calendar did not start at the same time in every country. Each country could have a different date for the same event. Also, how would you ever document an old date. If the source gave a date in the Julian Calendar that now had to be reinterpreted into the Gregorian Calendar to a different date. Can the source be used any more as the reference for this new date?

For these problems and maybe others, I propose the following. If the date falls before Pope Gregory gives his decree on the Calendar in 1582, then the date is assumed as following the old Julian Calendar. If the date falls after Pope Gregory gives his decree on the Calendar and before it is adopted in a particular country, then write it as a double-year date. For example 2 March 1699\1700. At the time it would be considered 1699 following the Julian Calendar, then in effect. But now it would be considered 1700 following the Gregorian Calendar now in effect. Finally, if the date falls after the Gregorian Calendar is adopted in that country, then the date is assumed as following the Gregorian Calendar.

To me this is the only reasonable way to handle all dates, those following the old Julian Calendar and those following the Gregorian Calendar. Please add comments.