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.
Sorry, I thought you were looking for hardware examples. Lots of software
is non-y2000 compatible. Microsoft haven't ratified Windows 3.x as
2000-compatible (or at least they hadn't last time I asked), and Novell have
only done so for Netware 3.x in the last few months (you have to load a
patch, you see). The new Netware 3.x is y2000 compatible.
Any software that has a 2-digit date field is at risk. Medical software
_should_ be ok if it is sensibly written; Adastra is, for example, because
we've always had to cope with dates of birth in the 19th centuary. But
having said that, some software will have problems with ages crossing three
centuaries.
>>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 ??
Unix represents time as the number of seconds since midnight, 1st Jan, 1970.
It puts this in a signed long (31-bit) number. It runs out sometime during
2038.
I hope by then it will be fixed.
>Thanks, James for attempting to educate me here, but am I wrong in thinking
>the examples provided still refer mainly to a processor, rather than a
>programme/software such as say a very early version of Sage or even Clinical
>system.
Or early versions of Dos. I don't believe Microsoft have ratified versions
of Dos before 6.21 as 2000 compatible (this is from vague memory though, so
don't quote me)
Remember also, that just over 50% of PC's sold LAST YEAR did not have a
y2000 compatible BIOS.
Best wishes and happy dreams!
James
--
Adastra Software Ltd, Edmonton House, Park Farm Close, Folkestone, Kent
Tel: 01303 222700 Fax: 01303 222701 24-hr support: 0701 0702 016
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