Hello Sean!

** On Monday 22.03.21 - 21:18, you wrote to me:

The workaround is probably to only use apps that do not
rely on dates whatsover. ???

It depends on what language the program is written in. If
it's C, just use a time library that uses an 8-byte time
instead of 4-byte.

That is a fine solution for programs that can still be
recompiled. But it appears that legacy 16/32bit programs that
are nolonger supported, will have a DOA in 2038, no?

That means that all the programs that people have so feverishly
archived and play with using retro computers or using modern
computers with 16/32bit VMs/OSes, will be rendered useless?

I seriously doubt by 2038 I will still be running a BBS but
that's only 17 years away. I've been running a BBS for 25
years so what's another 17 years? I will probably have to
switch to Linux then since I doubt IBM will allow OS/2 to
be ported to 64 bit.

Hey.. I just heard that William Shatner turned 90yrs. That's
about 30yrs more than me. He does NOT look 90! I know people
who are a bit older than me and less than 70 are in much worse
shape. Anyway.. Shatner makes another 30 years seems like a walk
in the park. Who knows.. maybe some of us here will be just as
spry to keep BBSing in people's minds. And 17 years to 2038 is
a long way from 90! I'd start worrying at 2050. :D

--
../|ug

--- OpenXP 5.0.49
* Origin: (} Pointy McPointface (618:250/1.9)

Re: 2038: still be running a BBS?
By: August Abolins to Sean Dennis on Mon Mar 22 2021 10:52 pm

Hello Sean!

** On Monday 22.03.21 - 21:18, you wrote to me:

The workaround is probably to only use apps that do not
rely on dates whatsover. ???

It depends on what language the program is written in. If
it's C, just use a time library that uses an 8-byte time
instead of 4-byte.

That is a fine solution for programs that can still be
recompiled. But it appears that legacy 16/32bit programs that
are nolonger supported, will have a DOA in 2038, no?

That means that all the programs that people have so feverishly
archived and play with using retro computers or using modern
computers with 16/32bit VMs/OSes, will be rendered useless?

I seriously doubt by 2038 I will still be running a BBS but
that's only 17 years away. I've been running a BBS for 25
years so what's another 17 years? I will probably have to
switch to Linux then since I doubt IBM will allow OS/2 to
be ported to 64 bit.

Hey.. I just heard that William Shatner turned 90yrs. That's
about 30yrs more than me. He does NOT look 90! I know people
who are a bit older than me and less than 70 are in much worse
shape. Anyway.. Shatner makes another 30 years seems like a walk
in the park. Who knows.. maybe some of us here will be just as
spry to keep BBSing in people's minds. And 17 years to 2038 is
a long way from 90! I'd start worrying at 2050. :D

--
../|ug

I suspect that by 2038, any 16/32 bit system will have to resort to setting a fake date. And interoperatibility will be toast
(no more connections using time-critical protocols between old and new systems).

I am sure Shatner is lasting that long because he has plenty of horses to love :-) Have you watched Star Trek: The Next
Generation? Kirk's ranch in the film is actually William's ranch, and the horses are actually his too. You can tell he is
showing her mare (I think she was Eva) off very explicitly for the horse scenes. When you have that sort of thing to live for,
Death has to work extra hours to catch you :-D

--
gopher://gopher.richardfalken.com/1/richardfalken
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
* Origin: Palantir * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL * (618:250/24)

Hello Arelor!

** On Tuesday 23.03.21 - 04:32, you wrote:

..it appears that legacy 16/32bit programs that
are nolonger supported, will have a DOA in 2038, no?

That means that all the programs that people have so feverishly
archived and play with using retro computers or using modern
computers with 16/32bit VMs/OSes, will be rendered useless?

I suspect that by 2038, any 16/32 bit system will have to
resort to setting a fake date. And interoperatibility will
be toast (no more connections using time-critical protocols
between old and new systems).

I imagined that there might be a whole demographic of retro
computers operating with retro dates, not unlike what Tim Pozar
is doing in comp.org.fidonet already. For instance, the most
recent fido newsletter is Mar 11 1991, and that date is even
used in the headers:

From: pozar@kumr.lns.com (Tim Pozar)
Newsgroups: comp.org.fidonet
Subject: FidoNET Newsletter, Volume 8, # 10
Message-ID: <1991Mar16.192611.3800@kumr.lns.com>
Date: 16 Mar 91 19:26:11 GMT
Organization: Late Night Software (San Francisco)


Volume 8, Number 10 11 March 1991
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| _ |
| / \ |
| /|oo \ |
| - FidoNews - (_| /_) |
| _`@/_ \ _ |
| FidoNet (r) | | \ \\ |
| International BBS Network | (*) | \ )) |
| Newsletter ______ |__U__| / \// |
| / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / |
| (________) (_/(_|(____/ |
| (jm) |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+

I am sure Shatner is lasting that long because he has plenty
of horses to love :-)

He was on the news regarding his birthday and mentioned his
horse pets.

Have you watched Star Trek: The Next Generation? Kirk's
ranch in the film is actually William's ranch, and the
horses are actually his too...

I did not not know that.

You can tell he is showing her mare (I think she was Eva)
off very explicitly for the horse scenes. When you have that
sort of thing to live for, Death has to work extra hours to
catch you :-D

Well.. he's comfy cozy as far as finances go. Horses are not
cheap to board and own. And.. with this covid shit still going
on, local governments are poised to reintroduce restrictions for
the upcoming Easter holidays and into the summer - thus there is
not much desire to live through the darkness when income is not
incoming. :/





--
../|ug

--- OpenXP 5.0.49
* Origin: (} Pointy McPointface (618:250/1.9)

Re: 2038: still be running a BBS?
By: August Abolins to Arelor on Tue Mar 23 2021 11:11 pm

Well.. he's comfy cozy as far as finances go. Horses are not
cheap to board and own. And.. with this covid shit still going
on, local governments are poised to reintroduce restrictions for
the upcoming Easter holidays and into the summer - thus there is
not much desire to live through the darkness when income is not
incoming. :/

Well, if not a horse, you can alwys get a pet rat. Rats are amazing pets.

Here horses are very cheap as long as you are willing to burn two days per year managing the logistics. It only gets expensive if you don't have land for pasture. If
you cannot provide your own boarding it is a no-go.

Also, sorry to hear Canada is going to hell, but as far as I keep hearing, it has been
that way for some time already :-(

--
gopher://gopher.richardfalken.com/1/richardfalken
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
* Origin: Palantir * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL * (618:250/24)