[Year 2038 Bug] Announcements and Requests

[Paul Sheer]

Announcements and Requests

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1. 2038 bug reports

In the past, I used to get occasional bug reports from the field by people who
had encountered code with glaring 2038-bug errors. These reports were fairly
rare, but seemed to have faded to zero in the present year.

As 2038 looms closer, the number of systems being detected and fixed will
escalate. Activity will probably peek 6-12 months before 2038 (as it did with
the Y2K bug - as the last software release cycles are going out) and then
drop to nil in the months immediately preceding 2038. After January 2038
activity will be extremely low since only the most surprising systems will not
have been repaired by then.

One upcoming milestone will be 2018 - twenty years before 2038. This is
when banks issuing 20 year bonds might encounter problems. It is also
when X.509 certificates (issued with a 20 year expiry date) will be affected -
this means web site certificates. Possibly some secure web sites will
become unreachable in January 2018.

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2. 2038 bug web site updates and Wiki

The 2038 bug website was created as a skeleton website well in advance
of the date. However, continued interest in the affair has led me to believe
that a more comprehensive and interactive web site is needed.

Therefore I am petitioning any interested persons to help enhance the web
site and add wiki support.

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3. 2038 bug web site non-profit status

The 2038 bug web site will be a not-for-profit initiative for the foreseeable
future.

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>From your friendly 2038bug site admin,

Paul Sheer