Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!mailrus!iuvax!rutgers!umn-d-ub!rhealey
From: rhealey@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU (Rob Healey)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions
Subject: Re: 21st Century UN*X - Bugs??
Message-ID: <3222@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU>
Date: 16 Feb 90 18:18:43 GMT
References: <2198@syma.sussex.ac.uk>
Reply-To: rhealey@ub.d.umn.edu (Rob Healey)
Organization: University of Minnesota, Duluth
Lines: 26

In article <2198@syma.sussex.ac.uk> stevedc@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Stephen D Carter) writes:
>In the (predictable) flurry of fuss surrounding the change of the year
>from 1989 to 1990, the following appeared in an *editorial* column of
>'Computer Weekly' a major weekly computer trade paper in the UK (ie not
>a fringe thing).
>
>   As currently programmed not a single system using Unix
>   will be able to come to grips with the 21st Century.
>(I have the paper in front of me, so this is verbatim and first hand).
>This is one heck of an assertion, and if true needs to be resolved, and
>if untrue needs to be firmly refuted.

	Have the person add 2 billion seconds to Jan 1st, 1970 and see
	where they end up, should be around 2038. I'd say 2038 is a
	fair way through the 21st century and certainly longer than
	most other OS's allow for. 

	I think the CORRECT statement should have been:

	Due to the lazyness and lack of foresite of certain programmers alot of
	PROGRAMS under ALL forms of computers and OS's will not make it
	into the 21st century. i.e. don't have any of your money in a bank
	on new years eve 2000 or the negative intrest rate might zero
	it as 1999 becomes, effectively, 1900...

			-Rob