
A lazy fix 20 years ago means the Y2K bug is taking down computers now - ozdave
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2229238-a-lazy-fix-20-years-ago-means-the-y2k-bug-is-taking-down-computers-now/
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crmrc114
From the article:

"Programmers wanting to avoid the Y2K bug had two broad options: entirely
rewrite their code, or adopt a quick fix called “windowing”, which would treat
all dates from 00 to 20, as from the 2000s, rather than the 1900s. An
estimated 80 per cent of computers fixed in 1999 used the quicker, cheaper
option."

So basically if (date = 00-20) then year = 20XX

This is the most classic, lazy, contractor fix I have ever heard of- would
love to hear some people who actually did support work for Y2k weigh in on
this article.

~~~
jdright
On some systems I've worked (and saw), time and date components were simple
bytes. Mostly for easy binary manipulation and also laziness, but mostly it
was current practice (on msdos) for that period. Not really to save memory.

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stygiansonic
The article linked to from this one from 1999 quite rightly points out the
probable cause of this “lazy” fix:

“ _In certain cases, corporate executives and government bureaucrats approved
using the method knowing that problems won’t resurface until after they retire
or change jobs._ ”

[https://www.hpcwire.com/1999/03/19/common-y2k-quick-fix-
last...](https://www.hpcwire.com/1999/03/19/common-y2k-quick-fix-last-
decades/)

