• ImplyingImplications@lemmy.ca
    61·
    2 years ago

    You hear the one about the COBOL programer? In 1999 many people were worried about a bug with dates that could crash their systems. Unfortunately, a lot of really important systems were still using the outdated COBOL programing language. A search was done to find someone who could fix these systems. The last programmer who knew COBOL was found and they made a lot of money fixing up these systems. So much money that, once they received a cancer diagnosis, they cyrogenically froze themselves hoping that a cure for their disease would be found in the future. The programmer is awoken one day in a lab filled with high tech robotics. A person who is seemingly half machine themseves stands before them. The programmer asks “Have you found a cure for my disease?”. The person replies “We have cured all diseases. You are the COBOL programmer, correct?” “That’s right” “Great! It is the year 9999 and we have a problem we need your help with.”

    • MartianSands@sh.itjust.works
      316·
      2 years ago

      That’s easy. The 2038 problem is fixed by using 64-bit processors running 64-bit applications. Just about everything built in the last 15 years has already got the fix

      Using that fix, the problem doesn’t come up again for about 300 billion years

      • cmnybo@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
        33·
        2 years ago

        You don’t need 64 bit programs or CPUs to fix the 2038 problem. You just need to use a 64 bit time_t. It will work fine on 32 bit CPUs or even 8 bit microcontrollers.

      • 0x0@programming.dev
        2·
        2 years ago

        Just about everything built in the last 15 years has already got the fix

        You mean regular PCs? Sure…
        Less COTS stuff? Not necessarily.

      • lengau@midwest.social
        2·
        2 years ago

        There are plenty of smaller devices still running 32-bit ARM processors. Enough of them in fact that Ubuntu 24.04 got entirely recompiled to only use 64-bit timestamps even on 32-bit platforms since by the time it’s out of support 2038 will be less than 5 years away.

  • callmepk@lemmy.world
    33·
    2 years ago

    Then there is Japanese that have to worry if their system still working tomorrow because of Showa 100 Year Problem

    Short summary: Basically similar to Y2K, when changing era in Japan last last time from Showa to Heisei, in order to save space, programmer at the time continue to use Showa as base so Heisei 2 actually recorded in computer as Showa 65. Tomorrow, which is 2025, is Showa 100. And you get the idea.