the year 2000 and atari computers

NB: If you have difficulty accessing the Belgian FTP server using links below, please try ftp://heracles.rma.ac.be/atari/

introduction

This page came into being as a result of a discussion of y2k issues in the newsgroup comp.sys.atari.st in June 1998. It's intended to be a central point where users of Atari machines and software can share information on this issue.

By its very nature, this page should be changing regularly as more information comes in. Any information you may have on this subject to add to what's here would be most welcome for inclusion: please mail your info via the feedback page.

disclaimer

Most of the information here has been posted to Usenet (comp.sys.atari.st) or mailed to me. I therefore haven't tested all of the software mentioned so cannot guarantee any software is y2k compliant, or that any problems listed are the full story.

You have been warned!

That said, I don't intend to spread inaccurate information, so please mail meabout any inaccuracies.

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hardware problems

clocks

Internal system clocks and the XBIOS problem

The XBIOS problem

The initial good news from a while back was that all internal Atari clocks seemed to be capable of handling dates well into the 21st century. However, it's now clear that on at least some machines there is a problem with the XBIOS clock in some TOS versions. This is one of two internal clocks on Ataris, the other being the keyboard clock.

The XBIOS is part of the TOS ROMs, but not actually part of TOS proper: along with the BIOS, it forms the bottom layer between the hardware and the operating system, providing the basic access to the hardware needed to actually load the OS and allow it to work. As such it's effectively a hardware problem. This is why it isn't replaced by MagiC unlike the rest of TOS so you still have the problem if you are running MagiC (though its effects may be better disguised).

The problem prevents a date between 2000 and 2027 from being set for this clock, and it is known to affect TOS versions 1.0, 1.2 and 1.62. It is likely that it affects all TOS 1.x versions. Initial reports indicated that TOS 2.x might be OK, but I have now received several reports confirming that the problem exists in TOS 2.06 (thanks to those who've sent me the info). Similarly, there have also been posts in c.s.a.s complaining of similar symptoms with TOS 3.x on TTs, and it seems clear that this problem (or something very like it) affects TOS 3.05 at least.

Clive Williams has kindly provided a succinct technical description of the problem.

Testing for the XBIOS problem

The most straightforward way I've found to test for the problem is to install Daniel Hoepfl's clock CPX. Be aware that I can't guarantee this is 100% foolproof, but it seems to work consistently for me.

  1. Run the CPX and set a 2000+ year. If you are using Xcontrol you may find that the year doesn't appear to change in Xcontrol's display unless you close it and re-open it.
  2. Run the CPX again: if the date isn't the one you set (even if Xcontrol and other programs show your new date), then you probably have the XBIOS problem. Try installing the Linkweiler patch and re-test. I'd be interested to know if this doesn't work so I can update this page accordingly.
Patches for the XBIOS problem

For some time there has been a patch available from Daniel Hoepfl's page. Thanks to Thomas Much for pointing this out in c.s.a.s. Note that you will also have to download Trapper from the same page as the patch relies on it.

However, my recent experiments after an email conversation with Clive Williams indicate that this patch is not a complete solution. It cures part of the problem but not the whole thing.

Clive Williams has programmed another patch which is not yet publicly available. I have tried a copy of the latter and it seems to fix the whole thing - the clock CPX behaves as you'd expect when it is installed, and it even makes the cartridge clock patch work under single TOS and MiNT.

However, great news: there is a donation-ware patch available now which seems to work fully (on a brief trial), with the same beneficial effects on the behaviour of the cartridge clock patch under TOS and MiNT as the Williams patch:

Ingo Linkweiler's y2k_fix (8k LZH archive)

This patch is also available from the Belgian FTP server, along with the Hoepfl patch. Check out the Belgian server's y2k directory for other y2k-related programs.

If you have an Atari with the XBIOS problem and a clock cartridge, it is definitely worth trying the Linkweiler patch and the clock patch in combination, even if you couldn't get the clock patch to work previously - fixing the XBIOS problem seems to make the clock patch function properly for me where it wouldn't work before.

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Clock cartridges and real time clocks

On most machines with a built-in real time clock (Megas, TTs, Falcons), the RTC seems to be OK with the century change, as long as you can set the clock correctly.

The problems arise with cartridge-based clocks used on STs without a built-in RTC, such as the Marpet Forget-me-clock. These plug into the cartridge port and are set by dedicated software. The time is read from the cartridge by an auto folder utility supplied with the clock during bootup. Similar problems are being reported with some ICD clocks as supplied with some of their host adaptors (which seem to work in a similar fashion but don't plug into the cartridge port): it may well be worth trying the cartridge clock patch mentioned below in these cases as the clock patch doesn't do anything hardware-specific per se. I'd be grateful if you could let me know if this works if you try it.

In many cases (eg Marpet's) the clock itself is OK with 21st century dates, but the setting software can't handle them. This software is unlikely to be updated, so you are left with either having to abandon the cartridge and set the time manually or installing a software solution. Fortunately, an auto folder patch exists which adds 20 years to the cartridge clock's time after the internal clock has been set from the cartridge. You set the cartridge to 1980 for 2000 and the patch adds the 20 years once the time has been set from the cartridge (but see above for the general problem with hardware clocks which render this only a partial solution). You can download the patch from here:

Cartridge clock patch (4k)

However, please note:

If you set the time and date manually, or use a computer with a built-in RTC set from the control panel, and have trouble setting your year to 21st century dates, you might find Clair Shaw's date/time setter (45k Zip) useful, as it uses four-digit dates. I haven't tested this program, and would be grateful if you'd let me know if you experience any problems with it. It seems to need a hard drive, by the way. Another solution is Daniel Hoepfl's clock setter CPX, which also comes as part of COPS - this can be set to ask for the date and time at bootup. However see above for how the hardware problem may affect the ability of either of these programs to set the time fully. Certainly, if the clock CPX behaves oddly I'd recommend trying the Linkweiler patch. Atari's Xcontrol in its last version (1.31) seems to be OK for setting the date provided the XBIOS problem is patched and there is now a fixed version of Zcontrol available, too.

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software

Much Atari software (in common with that for other platforms) should be immune to the problem: it will only affect software that has date or time functions.

known problems and workarounds

3D-Calc

Description: Spreadsheet program. Has some problems with y2k and later date calculations (see e-mail below).

Workaround: Problem can be overcome by adding corrections as detailed in e-mail below

I'm using the excellent, and FREE, 3-dimensional spreadsheet 
3D-CALC. (http://3d-calc.atari.org)  I have discovered it has a 
Y2K problem that can easily be fixed:  The function 
DATE(yy,mm,dd) is used to calculate a date number. For dates 
in the year 2000 the following correction is necessary
                       DATE(yy,mm,dd)+36500  
For dates in the year 2001 and beyond the correction is as follows
                       DATE(yy,mm,dd)+36525  
This will work until the year 2100 but then an update of 3d-calc will surely be available ;)  
Martin Tarenskeen

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Address

Description: Address book program, misinterprets y2k dates.

Workaround: None so far, but some versions may not be affected.

Subject: Y2K problems with "Address"
From: Hallvard Tangeraas
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2000 02:50:46 GMT

I just noticed that the telephone/address database program "Address" by
Carsten Setje-Eilers has a Y2K problem as it showed a birthday alert
saying:

"XX has a birthday in xx days, on the 2,2,1900"
                                          ----

Anyone know of a patch which fixes this, or an update of the program? 
I've registered it, so I could probably ask the author, but don't want
to bother him in case someone already knows of a patch/update.

Hallvard

------

Subject: email address for Carsten Setje Eilers ("Address")
From: Hallvard Tangeraas
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 04:45:17 GMT

I've got some problems with my copy of "Address" showing the wrong year
when alerting me of an upcoming birthday (it says "1900" instead of
"2000") even though the rest of my system seems to work fine (new files
are saved with "2000").

I've been told by another "Address" user that he doesn't have the same
problem, so something strange is going on here.
Does anyone have the author's email address? I couldn't find it in the
.HYP file that came with the program.

Hallvard
------------------------
From: Steve Sweet
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Address 2.2E
Date: Mon, 07 Feb 2000 13:12:38 -0000

Hi All

Following on from the recent short discussion Re. Address 2.2E and its 
incorrect date reporting. I beleive it was Hallvard that instigated the 
thread.?

A birthday was due last month which was correctly reported, today another 
birthday was announced and its date reported as 18:02:1990, my system clock 
is correct, my desktop clock reports the correct time, files are also 
stamped correctly. It seems this Y2K bug bites this backside at different 
times for different systems.

-------------------------

From: Hallvard Tangeraas
Subject: Re: Address 2.2E
Date: 27 February 2000 21:37

Steve Sweet wrote:

>> > Following on from the recent short discussion Re. Address 2.2E and its
>> > incorrect date reporting. I beleive it was Hallvard that instigated the
>> > thread.?
> 
> >That's correct. I mailed the author as well 
> 
> Any news yet dude!!.

I guess those exclamantion marks were supposed to be 
question marks... ;-)

Nope, no answer yet, so I suppose the author has just packed it in. I
don't feel like wasting more time on this really.
I'll just see if I can find another working package instead, which
hasn't got any Y2K problems.


Hallvard

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Applylst

Description: Part of BBS setup

Workaround: None so far.

From: Mike De.Petris
Subject: y2k nodelist ?
Date: Sat, 05 Feb 00 14:00:12

[Snip by JW]

Applylst does not work as it seems to be affected
by the y2k bug, so it deletes my nodediffs as it recognizes them as "obsolete
difference file".

[snipped by JW]

Ciao, ** *Mike* **

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Atari personal organizer

Description: Diary/calendar program, misinterprets y2k dates.

Workaround: None so far.

From: Michael and Nicole Freeman
Subject: Re: Y2k fixes
Date: 10 January 2000 07:06

Here's an odd Y2K glitch:

In Cadenza Software's "Atari Personal Organizer", the date is 
displayed in the Diary Entry section as 9 January 2:00 instead of 9 
January 2000. When I click on the box to change the date, I can only 
change it up to 1999. I guess that one's a goner.

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Cardfile

Description: Incorrect year date (19101 for 2001) in monthly calendar printout (thanks to Charlie Massey for this information, 11/2001).

Workaround: None so far.

 

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Digita home accounts

Description: Home accounts package. Gets confused by y2k dates.

Workaround: Alternatives which are supposed to be OK are Personal Finance Manager and PHEM.

 

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FoReM ST BBS

Description: BBS program, misinterprets y2k dates and fills partition with error messages in log once dates hit double figures for the days.

Workaround: None apart from switching to another package.

From: Sage
Subject: Re: 1/1/28!
Date: 03 January 2000 14:45
<snipped by JW>
The only problem I have encountered is that the FoReM ST BBS
program insists that the date is January 3, 19100!!!

-------------------------------

From: Dennis McGuire [sagedm@erie.net]
Sent: 01 April 2000 16:02
Subject: FoReM BBS Y2K


    I'd like to clarify the date problem with the FoReM ST BBS program
(version 2.9c).  After resetting the system clock on 1/1/2000 using the
ICDTIME clock driver, FoReM seemed to handle the date correctly except
that it displayed the date as January 1, 19100 rather than January 1,
2000.  All file handling operations have correct dates and the BBS
seemed to operate normally.

    BUT, on January 10, 2000 FoReM begins to write the string "Date
change:" continually to the FOREM.LOG file.  When the FOREM.LOG file
fills the hard disk partition the program quits functioning.  I have no
idea what causes this problem, but it definitely occurs when the date
hits January 10, 2000.  So, I suspect that it is due to the date going
to double digits.  The program runs normally from January 1 through
January 9, 2000.

    The only hope I see for a fix is to correct the source code.  The
last known holder of the source code was Bill Turner in Connecticut.
So, if anyone knows how to contact him I would apprecite that
information.

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Geneva

Description: Multitasking AES/OS enhancement. File selector misinterprets y2k dates for 2000, but later years are OK, apparently.

Workaround: None so far. You could try switching to a different file selector such as Boxkite (assuming that Boxkite is y2k compliant).

From: atarigalen
Subject: Re: Y2K_FIX.Yes/NO?
Date: 15 January 2000 02:09

In article <947794956.27759.2.nnrp-02.9e985e5c@news.demon.co.uk>, "John
Whalley" wrote:
> Does this mean Geneva has a y2k bug?

Yep, but it seems to be minor. The Geneva file selector is declaring
the "2" digit year to be "100". I told Dan about it.

Galen

------

From: Kenneth Medin
Subject: Re: Y2K_FIX.Yes/NO?
Date: 15 January 2000 22:32

On Sat 15-01-2000 09:29 (GMT) Martin-Eric Racine wrote:

>On 14.1.2000, atarigalen wrote:
>
>> > Does this mean Geneva has a y2k bug?
>>
>> The Geneva file selector is declaring the "2" digit year to
>> be "100".  I told Dan about it.
>
>Nice to know that, although Geneva is not _actively_ developped
>anymore, Dan still finds the time to patch a few things.

And actually only year 2000 is affected! Next year it will show 01 in 
the file selector. Maybe he stole the sorce code from the HAL9000 
development team :-) We'll see in 2010 if the file selector tries to 
take total control over the system and owner.

[snipped by JW]

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Harlekin

Description: Multi-purpose desk accessory, misinterprets y2k dates.

Workaround: None so far.

From: George Moulder
Subject: Re: Hasse Wehner/Gert Gronning:where ar
Date: 08 January 2000 21:29

<snipped by JW>

1) The date is not handled completely correctly after 1999, using : ; 
< and = instead of numerals in the tens column.

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Junior Office

Description: Fax program, refuses to send faxes since century changed.

Workaround: It appears that Tele Office, which is Junior Office's big brother program, is in the process of being patched, but this will not benefit Junior Office users (thanks to Peter Schneider for this information). Also, John Logan reports that Coma seems to work properly since the date change, so you might want to try switching to that program if it will work with your modem.

From: George Moulder
Subject: Re: Junior Office Y2K bug
Date: 12 January 2000 11:35


On 11 Jan 2000 22:00:24 , Mario Becroft wrote:

>A member of our local computer club is noticing a problem with the Junior
>Office fax software. The software will not send faxes in the year 2000,
>because in the outgoing fax information it displays the date as 19100, and
>then complains of an invalid date format.
>Does anyone know of a way to avoid this problem? I have heard of a bug in
>some C library time functions that outputs the date in this incorrect
>format. If this was caused by such a generic bug perhaps it would be
>possible to develop a patch which corrects the date output. Perhaps it
>would be possible to develop a patch anyway.


The company that owns the copyright of this program still exists and has 
no intention of supporting any further development (I asked when I 
discovered the problem).

The program operates in freestanding module form, and each of the modules 
affect the date, so it seems to me unlikely that a patch could be 
effective (I would like to be proved wrong on this one!). Hence the only 
solution appears to be in altering the code of the progam itself, and 
anyone doing this without the blessing of the copyright owners could 
theoretically be in legal trouble unless it was done for their own use 
only, and not published. :-))

George Moulder

------

From: Mario Becroft
Subject: Re: Junior Office Y2K bug
Date: 16 January 2000 11:34

JI Logan wrote:
: On 14 Jan 2000 14:11:17 , George Moulder wrote:

: I can't contribute directly to the Y2K bug in Junior Office but if 
: Junior Office is a fax program, as I think it is, could I point out 
: that Coma seems to have survived the date change?

In the last version which I examined (this was perhaps 1 year ago) it did
support only class 2 fax modems. The person who has the problem with
Junior Office is using a class 1 modem. We did try STraight Fax but this
did not work with his particular class 1 modem (although it is supposed to
support fax class 1).

------

From: Peter Schneider
Subject: Re: Junior Office Y2K bug
Date: 16 January 2000 21:01

Hi Mario,

MB>Then how can we get Tele Office 
the software was being sold by TKR in Kiel, Germany. I don't know if 
they sell it still. The last price was 10 DM for a CD that contained a 
lot of data transfer programs for ST, Amiga and PC.

Write to carl-michael_ewert@of2.maus.de for more information for he's 
the man who obtained the source codes and who made the patch.

MB>and does the patch also work with Junior Office?
No, for the binaries are totally different and he doesn't publish the 
patch but instead asks anybody interested in it to send the binary to 
him, and afterwards returns the patched version.

He just wants to get an overview of how and who many use Tele Office.

Und TTscho
ps

------

From: Peter Schneider
Subject: Re: ATARIFAX-TELEOFFICE-YEAR 2000
Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2000 11:02:00 +0100

Hi Karin,

KE>TKR has had no support for me.=20
receiving is no problem, only the year is 'wrong', it's displayed as 
'100' (99+1). Sending isn't possible anymore.

But you may send a copy of your original (no paths included etc.) 
program file (T_OFFICE.PRG, about 67k) as attachment with your serial 
number to 
cm_ewert@hrzpub.tu-darmstadt.de
or put it into his PPT (_p_ ersonlicher _P_ rogramm _t_ eil) at (BBS) 
Maus OF2 (+49-6103-921170)
The he will return to you a patched version of T_OFFICE.PRG, 
COMPOSE.MTX, VIEW.MTX and FAXDRV.MTX respectively.

It's a bit uncomfortable, but he as the owner of the source code 
(purchased from TKR) wants to get an overview of who and how many do 
still use this soft. For he intends to continue developing 'TO' if 
there are enough people interested in that development...

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MenuInfo

Description: Menu bar utility. Locks up on y2k dates with year display set to 2 digits.

Workaround: Switch to 4-digit display.

From: Bill Freeman
Subject: Re: Control Panel Dates and Y2k
Date: 04 January 2000 17:10

<snip by JW>

MenuInfo locks up with the year display set for 2 digits but works OK
if set to 4 digits. I tried it on an ST and a TT and it doesn't like a
2 digit date of 00.

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MGsearch

Description: The file search program which is part of Magxdesk (the desktop supplied with the MagiC operating system) gets confused by y2k dates up to MagiC 5.

Workaround: This is apparently fixed in MagiC 6, but if you are stuck with an old version (eg English-language MagiC-PC users like myself) you can install Daniel Hoepfl's SuJi which is a replacement for MGSearch and seems to understand y2k dates properly.

 

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Neocontrol

Description: Control panel, won't accept y2k dates.

Workaround: Use another control panel, eg COPS, Xcontrol, patched Zcontrol.

From: Bill Freeman
Subject: Re: Control Panel Dates and Y2k
Date: 04 January 2000 17:10

I can't seem to get NeoControl to accept 00 as a year. but Xcontrol
works OK. This is on a TOS 1.04 ST. The ICD host adapter clock seems
OK with year 2000 on my ST.

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Nethack

Description: There are reports of a y2k bug in some versions of this game, but I have no further details at present.

Workaround: None as far as I know.

 

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Protext

Description: Word processor. Problems inserting dates into documents, also system date being altered in the process.

Workaround: None so far.

Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Date: 04 May 2000 22:18:41 GMT
From: Charles Stanley
Subject: Protext 2K bug

I've found a bug in Protext (last version, I can't remember which).
ESC-ALT-D shows the correct date, but ALT-D prints as the next day.

In other words, ALT-D has ignored the leap year, though it is supposed
to access the system date.

Anyone?

Charles.
----------------------------------

From: Walter A. Cole
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Protext date problem
Date: 10 May 2000 21:08:01 GMT

Re Protext date problem:

I'm using version 6.61. In the EDIT mode, ALT-D gives me the current
date already set on my system clock. In the COMMAND mode, DATE gives
me the current date but ALT-D adds one day to the date.

When I switched between the two modes a couple of times, I get  the
current date plus one in both modes, but the year dropped to 1998.
When I closed out Protext, I found the system clock had been advanced
to 2002.

Very strange. I don't now enough about the internal workings of the
program to explain what happened but I'm sure it isn't very
complicated.


--
Walter A. Cole

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Script

Description: Word processor package. Version 5 reports y2k dates incorrectly (2000 comes out as 19100).

Workaround: None so far.

From: Derryck Croker
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: S: PC Link (Fast!)
Date: Wed, 08 Mar 2000 09:30:02 -0000

[snipped by JW]

This is V5, and (as I said) is to be found on the recent STComputer CD. I 
don't know how non-subscribers can get hold of it, perhaps someone can tell 
us what its "spreadability" is?

>I read that there was a newer version ?3 - does this work with UK  setups?

This one seems perfectly content here, CT2 Falcon in 800*600*16 colours 
under MagiC6 and NVDI5. The "Date" function reports the year as 19100 
tho'...

Otherwise, a fairly simple WP - something similar to Wordpad for Windows I 
guess.

-- 
Rgds, Derryck

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Superboot

Description: The boot manager, hangs with dates after 99.

Workaround: The only solution would seem to be to not use the date/time functions and use something else (control panel, RTC cartridge etc) to set the clock. Or switch to another boot manager.

 

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Teddy Term

Description: Comms program. There are conflicting reports of weird behaviour since the start of 2000, see messages below. So this is a potential y2k problem, rather than confirmed.

Workaround: None.

From: "Atari Active"
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: HELP! re: Teddy Term
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2000 19:57:02 +0100

I believe Teddy Term is seriously affected by the millenium bug :(

Simon

"John S. Gray" wrote in message
news:8m2lja$kvj$1@News.Dal.Ca...
> I used to love that shareware telecomms PRG, TEDDY TERM. I used it for two
> years. Suddenly, it is as if every copy of it is corrupt.
>
> When I boot TTERM, it thinks I'm already on-line when I haven't even
> gotten to the dial screen. Go to the dial screen, nothing happens. Moden
> LED's show that it's at rest and off the hook TR, MR. and HS lit, all
> others dark, as it should be, yes?
>
> Someone gave me a copy of Flash 1.6 and it doesn't have this problem. But
> it's restricting my downloads to the ancient Xmodem protocall AFAIK. I
> liked TEDDY TERM.
>
> my system: 1040STe TOS 1.62 4/540 ICD 16mHz AdSpeed card/Cardinal 9600v42
> modem
>
> MEANWHILE, my wife's copy of TEDDY TERM in her Mega STe (TOS2.05. Seagate
> 42mB HD/Zoom 2400 modem) now says NO DIALTONE.
>
> What is it with that software? is it just set to go off?
>
> I attend 2 different Atari User Groups and nobody has a clue about this,
> seemingly.
>
> John S. Gray

-----------------------------------------------------

Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
From: James Haslam
Subject: Re: HELP! re: Teddy Term
Date: 07 Aug 2000 20:39:53 GMT

Hi Derryck!

On 1 Aug 2000 09:02:48 G, Derryck Croker  wrote:

>>I believe Teddy Term is seriously affected by the millenium bug :(

>How? I can't think of anything time or date related in something as simple as a 
>comms program?

I think it has a clock in the status line! :)

Cheers!

James

-----------------------------------------------------

Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
From: Colin John Docherty
Subject: Re: HELP! re: Teddy Term
Date: 14 Aug 2000 06:32:22 GMT

JH>I believe Teddy Term is seriously affected by the millenium bug :(

No bug, it works fine here on my Falcon.

Regards Colin Doc

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The_Dot

Description: Offline reader, misinterprets y2k dates.

Workaround: Patch being worked on.

From: Robert Schaffner
Sent: 15 January 2000 16:00
Subject: Re: Centurbo 2 v.B stuff

[snipped by JW]

THE_DOT V 2.23, german development, offline reader for
Mausnet,Madness,Quark,MagiCNet,SevenNet,LightNet,ProNet,Z_Netz,Janus and
FIDO networks.

Shows since 1.1.2000 in dialog "multipoll" the date in this format:
15.1.10013.100 (must bee an mistake) ;-)

No furher problems with both packages.
Outgoing and incoming mail and news are with correct date.

Authors of THE_DOT are working to fix this smal date trouble.

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Timeworks data manager

Description: Database package, misinterprets y2k dates.

Workaround: None apart from switching to another package.

On 4 Aug 1999, Randy Kwak wrote: 

> I have been using Timeworks "Data Manager" ever since it came out. It 
> was only recently that I tried to enter a year "2000" date and realized 
> that there was going to be a *major* problem. 
> 
> Date data is entered in an MM/DD/YY format, i.e., only the last two digits 
> of the year. "Data Manager" interprets MM/DD/00 as a date in the year 
> of 1900. 
> 
> Any ideas? Or are there any other comparable Data bases in the Atari world? 
> 
> All suggestions welcome. 
> 
> Randy Kwak

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Transcendence BBS

Description: BBS software. Thinks 2000 is 1900.

Workaround: Partial workaround is to set system date to 1972, but this is not without problems - see email below.

From: Bob Clark
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Need Help ... Transcendence BBS has Y2K problems.
Date: 19 Oct 2000 21:27:14 GMT

I'm attempting to run a BBS on my Atari ST using Transcendence BBS 
(I think it's version 2.401)
The problem is, my BBS thinks that it's 1900, not 2000.  I am on an Atari
1040STfm, running TOS 1.06 (I think, I know it's a pre 1.4 version) ...
And I have downloaded and installed the Y2K patches mentioned on the
http://quickfaq.atari.org ... they patch the system ok but my BBS still 
insists that it's 1900!  Is there any way to fix this problem?

-------------------------------------------------------

From: Bobby W Clark
Sent: 24 October 2000 18:54
To: John Whalley
Subject: Re: Need Help ... Transcendence BBS has Y2K problems.

[snip]
I have set my system's date to 1972 (it has an identical calendar to 2000)
and it seems to work ok, although my users will have to put a birthdate
before 1972 for it to work properly.  And if I decide to gate into Fidonet
or elsewhere, I'll need to find a more feasible solution.  If I do,
though, I will let you know.

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Turbo BBS

Description: BBS software. Has some date problems.

Workaround: None so far.

From: Sage
Subject: FoReM and Turbo BBS Sysops
Date: 22 January 2000 14:07


I'd like to get in contact with anyone running the FoReM or Turbo
ST BBS software.  I have been having glitches since Y2K hit and would like
to get help resolving them, or at least find out if others are
encountering the same problems!

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XBoot

Description: Boot manager, has problems with its date setting functions. A patch has been created for version 3.10, which was available from the D&D site. However, it seems that there are variant forms of version 3.10 and the patch only worked with one. It's been withdrawn at present until a solution is found. For the moment, there are workarounds in the emails below. [August 2001] Roger Burrows of Anodyne Software has sent me a zip file of two texts (1.5k) on how to patch Xboot with a hex editor: one is the original German text by Gerd Trudow which covers German versions, the other is Roger's solution for the English version. NB: back up your original program file first and note that I don't use Xboot so I can't help if it goes wrong! There is also a freeware replacement for XBOOT available on the Belgian FTP server: ftp://chapelie.rma.ac.be/atari/utilities/atari/utilities/bootselectors/conxboot.lzh (64.379 bytes). It's been written to run on console (plain text output), thus the name is Con(sole)XBOOT.

Workaround: See emails below.

From: Frank W. Lawrence
Subject: Re: Superboot and Y2K 
Date: 28 August 1999 01:42 

On 26 Aug 1999 02:05:33 , Frank W. Lawrence wrote: 
>On 24 Aug 1999 13:43:43 , Jochen Fietz wrote: 
>>On Mon, 23 Aug 1999 12:27:49 +0100, Steve Stupple
>>wrote: 
>> 
>>> 
>>>I gave up Superboot a while ago, I now use Xboot. It doesn't have all 
>>>the ribbons and bells Superboot has, but is dead easy to use and you can 
>>>have lots of boot up defaults. 
>>> 
>>Bad news for you: I've checked XBoot and noticed, that it is NOT Y2k 
>>compliant: set the clock to 1.1.2000 or later and then try to create a 
>>new set - Xboot will crash. It's a pity cause I like Xboot too. Have a 
>>look at TUBS, it will also do good work. 
>> 
> 
>I notified, a number of months ago, Dan Wilga of Gribnif and he is aware 
>of XBOOTS Y2k problem. This will not be a problem in the year 2000 as all 
>it does is set date and time. After 1999 ignore setting time and date in 
>XBOOT and all will work. 
> 

Sorry, I goofed, 

In my previous message I forgot to explain how to save a set in XBOOT after 
the year 2000. 

After choosing the items for the new set go to the time set in XBOOT and 
just change the year to '99' - then save the set - reboot and then put in 
the correct year using the control panel. this will not show the 'new set's 
year as the present but at least you can still use XBOOT. 

------

From: Jochen Fietz 
Subject: Re: Superboot and Y2K 
Date: 30 August 1999 09:40 

On 28 Aug 1999 00:42:53 GMT, Frank W. Lawrence wrote: 
> 
>After choosing the items for the new set go to the time set in XBOOT and 
>just change the year to '99' - then save the set - reboot and then put in 
>the correct year using the control panel. this will not show the 'new set's 
>year as the present but at least you can still use XBOOT. 

or: make some empty sets with the year set to 1999, set the date to 
2000. After that, you can easely rename the emty sets even in y2k... 

Jochen

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good news

DBman

Description: Database package, seems to be y2k compliant.

I have tested the y2K question using Dbman 5 (both 5.2 and 5.3) and it 
seems to work fine. With DBman you need to set the century seting to on. 

i.e SET CENTURY ON 

I use Dbman because its fully relational and the files are compatible with 
the Dbase standard so can be imported and exported into programs on 
"other" platforms. 

Tom McCartney

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file2msg

Description: Fidonet program. Patched version released.

From: Joerg Spilker
Subject: Y2K fix for file2msg
Date: 06 January 2000 18:31

Hello,

there is an Y2K update available for file2msg from
http://www.slabihoud.de/led/. This program is for posting text file into a
fidonet message base.

Greetings, Joerg

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JetMail

Description: BBS mail program. Patched version released to fix date problems.

From: Joerg Spilker
Subject: JetMail Y2K fix
Date: 03 January 2000 20:10

Hi,

i just released a new JetMail 1.01 version. This version fixes a problem with
the date field on internally generated messages. This field is generated by
using the strftime library function which is buggy. The %y operator expands to
10 instead of 00 in the year 2000. This is fixed now. This does not effect LED
1.60 which will generate wrong dates if you didn't correct the date in the
header after writing.

The new version was hatched to FAN.COMM.FIDO and JET_BETA. It's also available
by FileRequest from 2:2432/1101 with the Magic JETMAIL (source with JETSRC).
You can also download the fixes from http://www.jetsys.de/

Greetings, Joerg

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Papyrus 5.15

Description: Document processor. Understands y2k dates when inserting them with special characters in documents.

 

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RATsoft BBS

Description: BBS software. New users cannot register as the software won't recognise birthday dates as valid during registration.

From: "Mabom"
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.programmer
Subject: RATSoft BBS
Date: Mon, 15 May 2000 17:45:37 GMT

Any one out there running RATSoft BBS and need a Y2K bug fix so that your
RATSoft BBS system can register new users?

The bug is, when a new user is entering his birthday, the BBS wont accept
any date format so the new user cant go forward in the registration process.

If you need this fix, droop me a email and i send it over!

Regards, Mabom
plonka@telia.com

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Upoint

Description: UUCP offline reader. Mishandles y2k dates.

From: Robert Schaffner
Sent: 15 January 2000 16:00
Subject: Re: Centurbo 2 v.B stuff

[snipped by JW]

UPOINT, german developent, UUCP offline reader. TOS/MagiC
Realy old. Latest release from 03 april 1995. Author Stefan Brusch.

Doasn't shows news header since 1.1.2000
Somebody in german mausnet talk around a patch, but i forgot the name of
the author of this patch. (Never use UUCP/UPOINT again since 7 month)|

[snip]

No furher problems with both packages.
Outgoing and incoming mail and news are with correct date.
-----------------------------------
From: Uwe Haase
Sent: 19 February 2000 12:57
Subject: Y2K bug fix for UPOINT

[snip by JW]

I am working on a Y2K bug fix for UPOINT.

Just have a look at http://www.uwe-haase.de/atari.html

Greetings,

Uwe Haase
-----------------------------------
From: Uwe Haase
Sent: 01 August 2000 20:48
Subject: UPPY2

Dear user of UPPY2K,

[snip by JW]

I like to inform you about an update of the upoint patch UPPY2K.
The archive can be found at http://www.uwe-haase.de/atari/

Changes to previous versions:

- minor bugfixes (file handle problem)
- usable until the end of october 2000

Best regards

Uwe Haase

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ZControl

Description: This control panel replacement had a problem with setting the date correctly, but a fixed version has been released, available from the Belgian FTP server at ftp://chapelie.rma.ac.be/atari/utilities/cpx/zcntrl125.lzh

 

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