The Year 2038 Bug

[QuickSilva 0]

I wonder what will be out in year 2038? I think 32 bit machines will have moved on, now 64bit are getting more common with Windows Vista and Windows XP 64bit. I believe also it was hyped up by the media and nothing really happened. But what's to say it won't happen? Well... Only time will tell on that one :PWhats the next "bug"? Year 2100 bug?

[Spyda 0]

no not this again. In 2002 when this was going to hapen you know that stupid 2k bug or whatever the heck that was, i blieved it kind of and i did kind of get prepared, but then nothin gh happened and i felt stupid, so in 2038 look for me not to do anything and just to satay and enjoy the New year without worrying about some stupid thing like this to happen once more becaus eit wont.!

[Forbez 0]

It's can not be true, they say this just to get attention. The Y2K bug enver happened, and loads of people got crazy about that.The programing from 1980s wasn't that bad. Can they stop doubting their own programming. Everything will be okay, so know one panic.

[Hiko Haieto 0]

aaaaaaaaaaaaah panic were gonna die! everyone build bomb shelters in their basements and, when its all over, head for the twinky factory in natick! /familyguy

[Vain 0]

By the time 2038 comes arounbd computers will probably be running on a new type of system that uses Decimals or something similar to it, and Y2K was a lie, so this is probably the same, its nothing major just a bug that will be fixed in a few years most likely and why would I keep this computer that long?

[rsf 0]

In 2038 the world of computers will be completely different. And nobody will be using 32 bit computers anymore .I would think 2048 would make a lot more sense with the whole base thing.

[red flag 0]

Wow! I'm sure it will get fixed though. 2000 came and it was all good. I wasn't holed up like other ppl. I was drunk and relaxed till I threw up in the b-room. lol The bug might be a joke though. My PC i remember handled it just fine in 2000. We didnt stock up on any food or any of that sort.

Edited January 25, 2007 by red flag (see edit history)

[t3jem 0]

Wow, I would have never thought about this, I am glad that this came out long before it would happen. At least it will be fixed before the date occurs and save us from a lot of uneccessary trouble and annoyances. If this never got out and wasn't fixed there could have been a major disaster. I'm glad I know of this now for when im working on my programs to check this and make sure my applications will keep working.

[everflame 0]

Duh. Just another date problem, not a big deal, this kind of bugs are not so hard to fix. I've coded a complex bug in one of mine A.I. apps at work. I didn't do it intentionally or something. I just was under a lot of pressure and it so happened that by skipping to write 2 simple checks my bug triggers if a certain function of the app is called exactly on the fist day of the last month of the year...and probably a sideffect would have been the first day of the first month of the next year...well I did't had the chance to check the 2nd thing because the system crashed bigtime during the test that fist day....and to think I was off from work that day, and not even in a 200km radius. Well sh*t happens. I fixed it in exactly 15 minutes....maybe less.

Edited February 24, 2007 by everflame (see edit history)

[CinnamorollTK 0]

They made a big fuss about the Y2K thing so I'm betting this will be the same. If it is a problem, they will just make some kind of bug-fixing update that will correct it, and nothing will happen. If it was a big enough problem, wouldn't they have said something about this years ago?

[cwconline 0]

Well I believe time is relevant and that it doesnt really matter what the day is... or the time, because You can always set your machine back correct? What a bunch of idiots to come up with some theory, it's just usally to scare you and make you buy software... like Y2k... Whatever!!! I guess the will do anything to sell software..

[dastrophy 0]

Did you know, that because of this problem, on Palm OS, in the calender on OS5.4 you can't get it to go past a date past 31 Dec 2037....try it :)Not that I'm planning ahead or anything....I get the feeling that if manufacturers only give you a three year warranty they aren't expecting the product to last 35 years, and also expect you to buy a new and improved version without this problem in 10 years time: though at that rate Palm OS might be replaced by Windows Pocket Vista or similar :-((Also it isn't 2048 because the calenders on software doesn't start on the year 0: it's soemthing like 1910 instead...very weird)

Edited June 25, 2007 by dastrophy (see edit history)

[galexcd 0]

I've been saying it for years. Why the hell would they make UTC time start at Jan 1 1970? We should have at least reset it back to 0 after the new millennium. Websites that store time will also have similar problems. This bug might not crash all computers around the world, but some websites that aren't prepared ahead of time may be left with huge security holes.

[FLaKes 0]

I really seriously and extremely doubt that we will be using the same network oriented programs that we use today. The network will probably be a whole lot faster and different by then. Maybe we will be beyond 64 bit by then.

[Tetraca 0]

It's a UNIX problem, so unless you're running something based on a 30 year old kernel, you should be fine. This means Linux, The Windows NT series, and *BSDs such as OpenBSD and OS X shouldn't have these problems. The only people vulnerable are those using SCO operating systems, possibly IBM, HP and Sun operating systems as well. I wouldn't be too concerned about such old technologies being used in 2038 with emulation of these applications on BSD systems if there is no possibility for port. But really, what is a flip of a date going to do? Say you wrote files 50 years ago? Cron jobs wouldn't be affected greatly. There might be a slight problem with reminders, though.

Edited June 27, 2007 by Tetraca (see edit history)