java.text.SimpleDateFormat doesn't know about all of the timezones known
to java.util.TimeZone. For example, the timezone for France (and most
of Western Europe) is called "ECT" according to TimeZone. When formatted,
it comes out as "GMT +01:00"

This can easily be seen running HotJava 1.0 FCS with these properties set:

    user.timezone=ECT
    hotjava.clock.format=MMM d', 'h:mm a z

(Don't use a pre-FCS version of HotJava, because it ignores user.timezone.
Yes, I am writing this before HotJava goes FCS :-)


I note that when I lived in France, I thought that the English abbreviation
for my timezone was MET (Middle European Time), but TimeZone.java thinks
that MET is Middle Eastern Time. Given this, perhaps it's better that
the timezone be reported as GMT +01:00!