Computer bugs in the year 2000

[Tim Smith]

>	In IBM's OS/VSI, OS/VSII, and MVS all files have a time stamp
>	associated with them, usually the creation date.  If upon creation
>	the file is deemed to be temporary the the time stamp becomes the
>	expiration date and defaults to sometime in the future.  The
>	difference between a creation date and expiration date is the
>	expiration date has the high order bit set. [See the problem coming]
>	The problem is that sometime in 2000 (I dont think its midnight
>	Jan 1) the most significant bit in the timestamp will change
>	and the system will then think that all files on all disk drives
>	are temporary and should have been deleted a long time ago.
>	Net result ... All files get deleted.

Look, if you have a bit that marks a file as temporary or permanent, and
that bit is set at file creation time, then there is no problem with files
created BEFORE the high order bit of the date is set.  The system will NOT
decide that they are all temporary and delete them!  The only problems
will be with files created after the high order bit of the date is set.

[ Unless, of course, the use AT&T Common Object File format, which, according
  to my copy of the manual, keeps the timestamp as the number of seconds
  relative to the CURRENT time! :-) ]
-- 
Duty Now for the Future
					Tim Smith
			ihnp4!wlbr!callan!tim or ihnp4!cithep!tim