Re: TECH: computer clocks in 2000

[Peter Pellemans <peterp@CYBERENET.NET>]

The year 2000 problem will affect all programs where a decision was made to
implement a date field as a 6 character field. On some platforms, where
the system does not provide a data type of 'date' (IBM mainframe for
example), this will occur more often than on platforms where the system
does provide a date type (like Digital VAX/VMS where the date type will
last till the year 30,000 or so, or most Windows development systems). But
that is no guarantee. Nothing forces a programmer to use the system
provided date type; he or she can decide to build a program using six
character dates, even on VAX/VMS, Windows, or on a Mac. And on the other
hand, a program could have been developed on an IBM mainframe using
8-character date fields.

So the platform itself is not a 100% indicator whether date conversion is
required or not. Each individual program needs to be assessed, regardless
of the platform.

And as far as Macs go and the year 2040, they will all be in museums by
then. So that is a non-issue. ;=)

Peter Pellemans
Software Developer/Consultant


On Tue, 11 Mar 1997, Valarie F. Moreland 904-833-3335 wrote:

> My understanding is that this will affect only IBM platform computers. I
> believe MacIntosh users are free of worry until 2040 and by then it will
> all be figured out! (-: (Hopefully!)
>
> Val Moreland
> Fort Walton Beach, FL
> morelav@mail.firn.edu
>

-
Download and test the school media library system:
http://www.cyberenet.net/~peterp/pVision/libsys.html
mailto: peterp@cyberenet.net