Re: [at-l] Don't forget

[tjfort <tjfort@netdoor.com>]

Coosa wrote:
>> Computer geeks, is this true?

yes.  as long as you don't mind living in the 70's :)

> Couldn't this end of things be avoided by simply changing the clock timing
> to
> >c:DATE <RETURN> 01/01/00 <RETURN>

partly true.  the problem comes from one of two occurrences.  (or
both).  

1.  the computer chip's internal clock stores the date as "YY".  this
chip freaks out when it has  "00" stored as the date.  ever try to
divide by 0?

2. the software, i.e. your bank & credit cards, store the date as YY. 
when computing differences for balances and closing dates and payment
overdue periods etc., this software will think that it is 1900.  thus
your account just became 100 years overdue!  


and as a response to thomas' post 

> The clock in your computer (I'm talking to IBM and IBM clone owners here)
> asks for the date as MM/DD/YY but..... it will accept MM/DD/YYYY. You can
> avert BIOS problems by simply entering the date as 4 digits at the DATE
> command rather than the 2 digits it asks for (I've done it and it works).

food for thought.  

just because dos, or any software for that matter, ASKS for a date in YY
format, it does not necessarily mean that the software, dos or your bios
in this case, stores the date in that same format internally.  


anyway, back to dreams of my approaching winter hike(s)

t.
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