Amps
[Top] [All Lists]

[AMPS] Windows 95/98 Y2K info for your computer

To: <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: [AMPS] Windows 95/98 Y2K info for your computer
From: watson@epiloglaser.com (George K. Watson)
Date: Sat, 7 Aug 1999 13:48:34 -0600
the date that feeds   the application software and WILL NOT rollover in the 
year 2000. It will  roll over to 00.

Actually, this is slightly, but significantly misinformed.
What is talked about here is merely the PRESENTATION of the date information 
and not
its storage format or its computational format which are far more important. 
The date
that 99% of all applications on Windows boxes use is stored in a binary format, 
typically
32 bits which represents (I think) the number of milliseconds since the 
beginning of the so-called
"Unix Epoch" which began the initial millisecond, midnight,  January 1,1970 
(Gregorian). 
What format it is presented in is essentially bupkus as long as the viewer 
posseses the 
context with which to interpret the information. i.e. don't go to sleep for a 
thousand years or you 
might confuse 2000 and 3000. My credit card sez it expires in 00 and I'm not 
gripping over that.

BTW the 32 bits is only good until about 2033 at which time all Unix and 
Windows boxes will
get hopelessly balled up.

"Relax, you'll live longer." (Arnold S, some movie)

And now, back to your regularly scheduled cat fights.

George K. Watson
K0IW

--
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/ampsfaq.html
Submissions:              amps@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  amps-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-amps@contesting.com
Search:                   http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>