On 29 Jan 1998 18:36:16 -0000, [log in to unmask] ("Tony Allen")
wrote:
>
>>Yeah... the y2k bug could be anywhere. Just about anything that stores a
>>date could have it (read: video recorders, tv's etc, as well as computers).
>
>
>But again these are examples of bits of machines - I am asking specifically
>about software, specifically Old software, resident and in use.
>
>>There are other related bugs.. there's a 2038-epoch in Unix which people
>are
>>beginning to worry about.
>
>Well, what the heck is a 2038-epoch ??
>
Apologies for James! He's just like a doctor really, you know, talks
in a language no-one understands, writes in undecipherable scrawl
etc!! I don't know what the 2038-epoch is and doubtless he'll
explain, but I do know there are loads of problems with software and
Y2K, the nub of it being that until quite recently programmers would
create 2-digit fields for the year, meaning that on roll-over from 99
to 00 the system can't hack it even if the hardware can.
I guess as a rule of thumb if you see today's date in your software
being recorded as 29/01/98 it's got a potential problem. If it says
29/01/1998 it probably hasn't.
I suggested ages ago on another thread that the best bet is to put the
clocks back 20 years. Now, where have I put my helicopterbacter test
kit?
--
Lynn Woods, Adastra Software Ltd - www.adastra.co.uk
Come on you Clarets....
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