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[Michael]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_2038_problem#Early_problems

Have fun reading.
Sum it up: During the year 2038, all 32-bit systems will practically crash.

[pspeed]

Yes, but this is not as bad as y2k because in most of these cases you just have to recompile with a newer compiler.

The two digit dates (y2k problem) was more insidious because many of the affected systems used text to store these values and it required semantic understanding of the code to sort it out.

In the 32 bit case, most systems using 32 bit time were using the C time.h library which had a time_t type that used to be 32 bit on older compilers.  Some embedded systems may fail but a) they often can just be reset, and b) the important ones were audited and refitted during y2k.  For example, I know my local power grid embedded systems were upgraded because I followed that progress in 1999. (When other people were pooping bricks, I simply kept an eye on the power company... as long as we had power everything else would work itself out.)

[Moonkey]

I couldn't help but laugh with my 10 year old self at "pooping bricks".

[pspeed]

I couldn't help but laugh with my 10 year old self at "pooping bricks".

For those of you who may not have been alive or old enough to remember y2k... people were crazy.  You saw how crazy people got because of a fake Mayan calendar thing.  Now imagine that the fears actually have foundation and weren't just made up by a guy selling a book.

It was bonafide capital Cray capital Zee.

[belgariad87]

It was bonafide capital Cray capital Zee.

ha

[Iggyjeckel]

Y2k made me giggle, wish I was in the fall out shelter business during that time