From paulsheer at gmail.com Wed Apr 8 16:44:24 2009 From: paulsheer at gmail.com (Paul Sheer) Date: Wed, 8 Apr 2009 16:44:24 +0200 Subject: [Year 2038 Bug] Announcements and Requests Message-ID: Announcements and Requests -------------------------------------------------------------- 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. -------------------------------------------------------------- 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. -------------------------------------------------------------- 3. 2038 bug web site non-profit status The 2038 bug web site will be a not-for-profit initiative for the foreseeable future. -------------------------------------------------------------- >From your friendly 2038bug site admin, Paul Sheer