Re: Windows Y2K adjustment
Well, the real scoop is that it shouldn't make any difference - but it
might anyway.
The date/time is actually stored internally in a 64 bit integer reflecting
the number of 100 nanosecond intervals elapsed since 1-1-1601 or some
oddball number like that. In other words, the internal format is sound.
This same 64 bit integer is what Windows returns to the various
applications, run-time libraries, etc. that request the date. So the date
is ok up to that point.
Here's where some problems come in... Programs (such as Excel or Access)
use the regional settings to format dates to output whether it's to screen
or to a data file. If data is exported with 2 digit years to a file, then
that file imported into another application, it's up to the second
application how to interpret all those 2 digit years. And there's
absolutely NO guarantee that it'll get them all right.
In short, it shouldn't affect the normal user at all. But if you do any
application to application exports / imports, I'd check closer before
dismissing it.
Joe
PS ALWAYS watch out for (and double check) the Microsoft PR machine.
-----Original Message-----
From: Cuny, David [SMTP:David.Cuny at DSS.CA.GOV]
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 1999 11:45 AM
To: EUPHORIA at LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
Subject: Re: Windows Y2K adjustment
Mike Sabal wrote:
> I'm just thinking that there must be a Windows API
> call that actually uses that value; and some programmers
> may errantly use it in some calculations.
I did a web search when I got the 2/4 digit warning from a friend, and
apparently it's in such wide circulation that Microsoft issued a reaction
to
it. They claimed that it makes no difference, if it makes you feel any
better. 
-- David Cuny
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